Tea o'clock
by TeaTaster
Summary: It's either keeping your pride or breaking the chess board in order to change the game completely. Should Ciel Phantomhive ever be steered away from revenge's embrace, Sebastian would be there to bring him back on the poisonous path and perhaps allow the prospect of affection to darken the boy's soul down to its very own core.
1. Chapter 1

**Tea o'clock**

 **Chapter 1: More tea?**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own the Kuroshitsuji manga and I have no rights over it.

* * *

Waking up the young mistress had always been her duty. Ever since she could remember, she would accompany an adult maid into the room of count Arrington's remaining offspring and attend to the child's morning preparations. And now, ten years later and a young woman herself, she still knocked on the door at 7 o'clock sharp before entering to help Alice Arrington get ready for her day. As the lady's personal attendee, one would think the help would be used to their master's habits but such was not her case, particularly because the young lady constantly flickered as a source of surprise. In accordance with her routine, the maid slowly pushed open the door and tip-toed until she reached the window, her hands parting away the dark, heavy curtains to allow light inside the chamber. With everything now visible, the maid almost jumped out of her on skin as she noticed there was someone sleeping at the nearby desk, a mountain of papers scattered at their feet. A hand placed on her chest to calm her nerves, the maid attempted to wake the disclosed sleeping woman:

'Lady Alice, please wake up,' she whispered, gently shaking her shoulder. 'Lady Alice,' the maid persisted upon receiving no reaction from the other party. The woman was in deep sleep but the maid had no heart for any additional seconds of rest. Reaching down at the papers, she took one of the pieces and began tearing it slowly. As expected, the lady's head snapped up almost immediately, grabbing the maid's wrists in order to stop her outrageous action.

'What are you doing!?'

The maid ceased with the ripping, shoving the damaged page in front of Alice's face.

'Don't worry my lady, it's blank. I wouldn't destroy anything with your writing on it,' the other woman reassured, content to have found the best way to grasp her mistress' attention. It worked every time.

'Oh,' Alice replied, instantly relaxed. She looked around her room as if making sure she was in the right place and beamed a smile at her favourite maid. 'Good morning, Nora.'

'Good morning to you too, Lady Alice. It would've been better if I had found you in your bed instead of at your desk. What are we to do if you catch a cold, my lady?'

'Hush! Don't speak of colds, I mustn't get one, especially now when I'm so close to helping father accomplish his task.'

'That is exactly my thought, Lady Alice.'

'It's alright, Nora,' Alice said, secretly happy at her maid's genuine concern, 'I slept in my bed for most of the entire night but I must have fallen asleep here a few minutes ago. I couldn't sleep very well, not with all my constant thinking. You know how that is, don't you Nora?'

'I wouldn't know, miss,' the servant answered actually ignorant about it. All she knew was that, when her hard day was over, Nora couldn't wait to get into bed and wash the tiredness away and to her luck, sleep always came rushing in the moment her eyelids fell on her eyes. But matters were completely different in lady Alice's case. This was no regular household; the Arrington line had served the Kings and Queens of England as counsellors since the beginning of time and certain expectations were required of each heir to the title. Nora could not even begin to imagine the pressure that loomed over lady Alice, being a woman and all.

'Did Father come home last night?' Alice inquired, raising her arms to allow Nora to wrap her corset around her waist.

'No, my lady. We are expecting him to arrive this morning,' the servant girl let the other woman know, her fingers skilfully wrapping all ribbons in place. The maid quickly advanced to her hair, pinning each curl of long hair perfectly on the girl's head. Fine materials and expensive accessories were ordered for the young mistress, servants permanently dressing her as one would do for a royal and while everything contributed to make her even more beautiful than she already was, Alice appeared most dashing when ridden of it all.

'Good. Make sure you let me know as soon as he arrives, I need to inform him that I finally got to the bottom of it.'

'To the bottom of what?' Another female voice shot across the room, the icy tone indicating hostility towards Alice's previous statement.

 _Ah, just in time_ , the maid said to herself, straightening the last fold in Alice's dress and stepping back two steps, head bowed in respect.

'Mother,' Alice acknowledged the other woman, not particularly pleased to see her first thing in the morning. 'I was telling Nora here that I need to speak with Father and let him know that I have finally deduced who is planning to assassinate the Queen.'

Her mother frowned, lips pressing together disapprovingly.

'What nonsense are you spouting, girl? Why would anyone want to murder the Queen?'

'Someone always wants to murder the Queen, mother. It's what gives people hope. That people like you and me and other rich aristocrats are not immortal and at the slightest moment of carelessness, we can be dragged down from our high horse.'

'I see your father's influence on you is yet strong. I wish you could have learnt more from me instead and practiced your piano more often or mastered your French at a better level. You need to be a proper lady,' the countess demanded, gracefully taking a seat at her daughter's desk. She took out her embroidered fan and began waving it ever so slightly.

'My social assets are satisfactory. For what I plan to do in the future, there are slightly better matters to focus on,' Alice disagreed, already used to this sort of conversation. Her mother, Vanessa Arrington, had always been against her involvement in her father's work despite currently being the only child who could carry on the name. In Alice's view, Vanessa was the most elegant and civilised person she had ever laid eyes upon and at the same time, she was one of the most old-fashioned women out there. She strongly believed women should be docile, loyal and above all, listen to their husbands regardless of their own desires. She used to say that a woman with wants was simply a selfish woman and therefore deserved whatever grim trouble that might have come her way. Needless to say, Alice was quite her opposite. Perhaps their different views represented precisely the reason why there was a raft in their relationship. While close in her younger years, Alice had drifted away from her mother and found herself implicated in her Father's business; from him she had discovered the ropes of politics and the slyness of diplomacy. She had learnt how to ride a horse like a madman and shoot like a member of the Royal Guard. And most importantly, she had instilled in herself the idea that everything she received was not for granted and if not for patience and attention, she could always lose it all.

'And what exactly do you plan to do in the future?' Vanessa asked, fearfully intuiting her answer.

'Become the master of this household,' she replied naturally, no doubt perspiring through.

Vanessa stood up almost instantly, blood rushing to her face in offense.

'That is the most scandalous thing I have ever heard! How dare you?'

'I dare.' Alice came forward, inching closer to her mother as she spoke. 'I know this conversation is pointless since you prefer to force your own ideals on me but I will prove to you and everyone else that I am worthy of inheriting Father's titles, our family duty and honour and I will do an even better job at it than any male heir.'

Nora stood frozen in the corner of the room, wishing she had managed to finish with the preparations earlier and avoid listening to this conversation. She looked up at the two proud women, both so different and yet similar in their stubbornness and hoped for a day to come when they would see eye to eye on their ideas.

'That is impossible, women cannot! Their duty is to marry not remain single and bring shame to their family with this type of behaviour.'

'Father does not think so.'

'Your father has to make do with what he has since I am unable to provide him with a male heir!' Vanessa found herself uttering the one thing she prayed so ardently never to voice out. But it had been too late and if the offence were too grave for Alice, Vanessa could not know. Unlike her, that girl never became confrontational with her enough to cross limits. In that regard, she was far too mature and exceeded expected reactions. Alice swallowed a bitter retort and again, succeeded in controlling herself.

'Please excuse me Mother, I have that piano lesson you keep nagging me about so I am hurrying ahead for breakfast,' the girl said, having won this battle. She gestured for Nora to accompany her downstairs and left her mother standing alone in the room.

'Why doesn't this girl understand I'm only wishing for her well-being?' Vanessa asked rhetorically, flopping back into her chair. She sighed, reaching out for the photo frame on the desk, gazing at the two girls captured within. A younger Alice was being held by her older sister, both laughing happily at the time the photograph was taken. If it hadn't been for that horrible accident seven years ago, Jane would be twenty-six years old today. She would most likely be married and Vanessa would be a dedicated grandmother. Instead, her oldest daughter had long rotten in the ground and the other searched for danger on her own. If only Vanessa could find better words to explain her reasons for being so decisive in the direction of her upbringing maybe they would not end up arguing every time. Clutching the photo frame at her chest, Vanessa felt she could not stand losing another daughter.

In a different part of the manor, Alice descended the stairs and picked up the pace as she spotted her Father entering through the front door.

'Father, you were right. That bricklayer, William Hamilton is targeting the Queen,' she said instead of a greeting.

Daniel Arrington, Earl of Coventry, leader of the Private Secretarial Officers and royal adviser to Queen Victoria had just finished handing his cane and hat to his trusty butler when his daughter's voice filled his ears.

'Well, yes, that much we know. The question remains when he will strike,' he remarked.

'I believe I have the answer,' the girl offered, now face to face with her father. 'I've been to Lady Spencer's picnic party yesterday and she said William finished his job and cleared out his room, it seems he intends to leave England and head back home to Ireland. She was quite displeased about it, he did not properly finish reinforcing the garden wall as instructed.'

'I am not surprised, we can't expect proper labour from the Irish,' Daniel added and offered his arm to his daughter to lead them to the dining hall.

'Nor can we expect decency. I am shocked he managed to get someone to sell him a gun for the deed,' Alice observed.

'Unfortunately, there are many who need quick money. Go on now, what day have you estimated?'

'Well,' she began, her index finger touching her chin in contemplation, 'since he cleared his room yesterday and the earliest ship to Ireland is tomorrow…'

'He will do it today,' Earl Arrington concluded, a wicked smile crossing his lips. 'Well done,' he praised his daughter, delighted to see her smile. 'And you said your mother is unreasonable for suggesting you go attend the picnic. Look at what you've discovered.'

'That is precisely why I went, Father. I was aware William was in her keep. Do you know how unbearably boring Lady Spencer is? She keeps talking on and on about the most trivial of things,' Alice complained, sensing a headache returning just by remembering the previous day.

'Ah, that I can agree with,' Daniel chuckled, having fallen prey to lady Spencer's daft art of conversation before. 'Let's make haste now, we must inform the Queen and prevent her from returning to Buckingham Palace today, that is the only chance Hamilton will get.'

'I actually had something else in mind. I spent the entire night coming up with a plan; after all, we do wish to capture Hamilton in the act, don't we?'

Earl Arrington raised his eyebrows, interested in what his daughter had to say.

'Very well then, you'll tell me that plan of yours over a glass of brandy. You reckon it's too early for it?'

'I won't tell if you won't,' Alice giggled, both of them finally reaching the dining hall. All of a sudden, she felt the need to stop Daniel in his tracks.

'Father.'

'Yes?

'Did you ever wish I were a boy?'

Daniel tensed.

'What brought this one? Did you argue with your mother again?'

'You did not answer my question.'

Daniel released his daughter, positioning himself in front of her and reflecting on her question. He had been so thrilled when Jane was born and could not deny his slight disappointment when the second child turned out to be female as well, especially since the doctor had warned them Vanessa would not be able to bear any other children after the last complicated birth. Yes, he had wanted a boy, someone to share all his responsibilities with but then tragedy struck and Jane died and he never had silly regrets such as those ever again. It did not matter to him anymore and now looking at his daughter, he realized how foolish he had been to wish for something else. Jane, the spitting image of her mother with her red hair and blue eyes had belonged to Vanessa while Alice belonged to him. If she had been a boy, she would look just like him; dark chestnut hair and eyes of such light brown they shone golden when wide open, however those features were now gracing a female face. And then who knew if that child would have turned out the same way because he certainly preferred his daughter the way she was over a possible pompous son.

'I did, at the beginning,' Daniel responded, his sincerity grazing at the girl's heart. 'But now that I look at you, I realize that there is nothing I would change. Questions like these should never be asked again.'

Alice listened carefully to his every word, weighing their truth and warmth. She nodded, understanding that her father was indeed her one and only ally and he would never betray her. In him, she could find the support she had always wanted and one day, he would pass on his role under the Queen's wing to her tiny but reliable shoulders.

'Now come, I'm rather peckish,' Daniel instructed and offering his arm to his daughter again, they both stepped into the hall greeted by their loyal servants.

* * *

Sebastian Michaelis began his morning as per usual; first task had been that of attending to his young mater's preparations for the day. The butler had helped the Phantomhive Count get dressed and ready for breakfast after which he made sure to arrange a tray of the best cooked courses to be presented at the dining table. Mei Rin had provided him with the silverware while Bart sliced the freshly baked bread into a serving basket and from Finny, he requested a small bouquet of garden flowers to place in a vase at the table. As Sebastian made his way toward the hall, Ciel Phantomhive had already taken a seat and was handed that morning's newspaper for his reading pleasure. He skimmed through the main titles, attentive for anything that would seem out of the ordinary, watching from the corner of his eye how his butler ceremoniously arranged each plate in front of him.

'For today's breakfast, I have prepared egg casseroles with a side dish of Maidenhead sausages and Wolferman's English muffins with an assortment of homemade strawberry jam and nut breads. For tea, I thought it best to switch out the soft Earl Grey with something more floral to compliment the muffins,' Sebastian explained, pouring a cup for the count.

'A Darjeeling I see,' Ciel identified the flavour, sipping it pleased.

'As expected of Young Master, your guess was correct.'

'Cut the flattery,' Ciel ordered, glaring at his smiling butler. 'More importantly, did you investigate what we discussed yesterday?'

'Yes, our target William Hamilton has purchased a flintlock pistol recently. It appears that his intentions are not peaceful.'

'Just as we've suspected,' Ciel said, taking a first bite of his carefully prepared egg. 'I'm assuming he will attempt to do it today, after all, the Queen is returning to Buckingham Palace this afternoon and she will not make any more public appearances for a while.'

Sebastian listen to his master speak, all the while watching over his eating process. Times such as these often reminded him he too would have his meal soon enough.

'Shall we send notice to the Queen then?' The demon asked.

'No. We don't have to alarm the Queen for something we are not entirely sure of yet. Instead, we'll follow Her Majesty's carriage close by and catch the bandit by ourselves.'

'Very well, Young Master. I will make the necessary preparations,' Sebastian nodded respectfully. 'One more thing before I go, I will leave this morning's correspondence here,' the older male said, placing a silver tray with unopened envelopes next to Ciel's elbow.

It was only after his butler left that Ciel's hand extended towards the stack of envelopes, his features saddening at a particular one bearing the Midford crest. It was the third one that week and he had opened none ever since he had cancelled the engagement with his cousin Elizabeth a month ago. Why would he open it when he knew exactly what it said inside? There would be questions, words of regret and perhaps reprimands. There would be supressed tears and pleads for him to reconsider his decision. There would be pieces of Elizabeth's heart scattered all over the pages and he could not take looking at them. Nevertheless, Ciel would not change his mind. He cared about Elizabeth as part of his family, as a link towards his father's legacy and his promise as a gentleman but he could no longer allow her to be hurt because of him. Ever since he had retuned and had taken his role as head of the Phantomhive household, he had put Elizabeth in danger numerous times before and whenever he would look into his aunt Francis' eyes he would read hidden accusations. While sister of Vincent Phantomhive, Francis had always seemed to dislike her association with the Aristocrats of Evil and who could blame her? She had a family to protect and that other vile role had gone long ago to Vincent. And yet, even she could not imagine matters would worsen to this extent or that her daughter would be exposed to this degree of danger. Vincent was no longer alive and while Ciel had proven to be more than worthy of his title, he knew Francis was still not pleased with the circumstances and so he did what was best for everyone and freed her daughter.

Sipping the last drop of his tea, Ciel left the dining hall to head for his study and put the letter with the rest of the unopened ones. There was no point to this union, especially since he had no right to think of marriage nor descendants. In the end, his lifespan was uncertain and his soul could be devoured a year from now, a week from now, a day from now. He simply could not allow Elizabeth to love him even more than she already did. He needed her alive and blissful, preferably next to a considerably less lethal male match. And while she would learn to move on, he could better concentrate on obtaining his revenge and eventually permit his soul to be devoured by that wretched demon.

* * *

'Now, are you really certain about this?' A plum, blue-eyed woman asked count Arrington in the intimacy of her carriage.

'Yes, Your Majesty. We are, without doubt, sure,' Daniel Arrington respectfully replied to Queen Victoria as he stood seated across from her in the carriage heading towards Buckingham Palace. The royal carriage advanced through Green Park, followed closely by two other accompanying carriages and a group of ten soldiers guarding the convoy.

'It is not as if I mistrust your word Daniel but I find it difficult to understand how on earth I could have bothered a bricklayer,' Queen Victoria inquired, eyebrows raised in genuine curiosity.

'Your Majesty, please rest assured there is nothing personal involved. Perpetrators such as Mister Hamilton often attempt such deeds for heroic reasons which they believe are righteous. However, we will interrogate him thoroughly in order to find his true motives or if there are any accomplices. Your safety comes first, Your Majesty.'

The Queen offered an enigmatic smile, her sapphire necklace glistening the same shade as her eyes.

'Even before that of your daughter, Daniel?'

Count Arrington took no delay in answering.

'That girl has nine lives, she resembles me completely. I tend to worry less as she matures.'

'Indeed,' the Queen agreed. 'I am very fond of her. Just as much as I was of Jane.'

'Thank you, Your Majesty,' Daniel offered his gratitude, his oldest daughter's face popping into his head. She had been so brilliant and so loved by everyone. She had been perfect. And now she was no more.

'Speaking of your daughter, have you given any thought to what I proposed earlier this week?' The woman asked, sensing Daniel's sadness seeping through. Jane's loss had been a regretful accident and while the Queen knew it was difficult for Daniel to remember her, she also believed it was a parent's duty to keep their child's memory alive, even if it was painful. However, there was the issue of the remaining daughter and while Jane had been the Queen's favourite, after years of watching her grow into the fine lady she was today, Victoria had been pleased to notice Alice had inherited the Arrington spirit as well and she would make quite the interesting rook on her chess board.

'Yes, of course. Everything will be as you decide,' Daniel raised his eyes to meet those of the Queen briefly, careful not to offend.

'Good,' the Queen said simply and that was when the gunshot echoed through the air. Both of them still safe and sound, Daniel slightly pushed the carriage curtain away to inspect the outside.

'It seems our rat had finally made his move.'

He was not the only one to make his move. From their vantage point, Ciel and Sebastian caught sight of the trajectory of the gunshot. Stopping their own carriage midway, Ciel existed without warning, his tone determined.

'I will go to the Queen. Sebastian, this is an order: Apprehend the shooter and bring him to me without fail!'

Sebastian slowly brought his gloved hand to his chest, offering a short bow as he uttered the words that always promised results:

'Yes, My Lord.'

Running in separate directions, Ciel held on tight to his top hat and went straight for the Queen's royal carriage. As he reached it, he saw a few soldiers from the Queen's guard heading in the direction of Hamilton and had to rub his eyes upon seeing one of them resembling a woman dressed in men's clothing. There was no time for pinpointing the truth though, thus Ciel rushed to open the door to the carriage.

'Your Majesty!' Ciel called out only to be greeted by an empty interior. The young boy took a few steps back, trying to understand why the royal carriage was empty when a female voice reverberated through to him.

'Earl Phantomhive.'

Ciel recognized Queen Victoria's voice, his eyes travelling to the third carriage where indeed, the Queen was in.

'Your Majesty,' Ciel approached with uncertain steps, 'are you unhurt?'

'Yes, I'm perfectly fine. Have you come to my rescue, boy?'

'Ah, there was a rumour, I had to make sure you would be out of harm's way,' Ciel replied.

'Well, you were right; you're always one step ahead of everyone, Earl.'

'Please, I don't deserve the praise,' Ciel lowered his head, trusting that he actually did not deserve it. The Queen had already been warned about today's danger and by someone who had even more concrete information than he did. It was clear as day now; the royal carriage had been just a decoy – a trap to catch the criminal.

Queen Victoria chuckled at his surprise, content to finally see him outsmarted. She gestured for Arrington to open the door and allow passage for the Earl of Phantomhive.

'Nonetheless, it was such perfect timing. Please, join us at the castle, Earl. After all, I intended to send out an invitation to you sometime this week since there is an issue I would like us to discuss.'

'I understand,' Ciel agreed, already climbing into the carriage, his mind mulling over the possible matters the Queen had to address. It could be anything, starting with the order for another mission ending with probable complaints at his manner of handling his commissions. She most likely did not forgive him entirely for the matter of missing children kidnapped by Noah's Ark not to mention that as of late, his process had been sloppy, concluding with more victims than necessary. Ciel assumed it could be even worse than he initially thought especially when he noticed that the person he took a seat next to was none other than Earl Daniel Arrington, one of Queen Victoria's most trusted royal advisors. He withheld a sigh, greeted him politely and prepared for the awakening storm.

* * *

Queen Victoria had received them all in her private quarters. While this was not the first time to be visiting the Queen's recreational room, Alice admitted she never happened to be in the presence of those particular individuals, respectively Earl Phantomhive and his ominous butler. She sat next to her father, noticing that the Queen's personal servant John Brown had been invited to join them as well, though he mostly chose to remain silent.

Various plates with sweets and sandwiches were brought over and also hand-painted teapots were now gracing the tables, servants attending to each of them accordingly. Having discarded the borrowed uniform, Alice had changed into a soft blue dress, a colour the Queen preferred to see on her and listened intently to the Queen's line exchange with her guests.

'I believe today we have been very fortunate. We have seized a dangerous criminal who dared threaten the Crown and cause unbalance in my home and for that I have to extend my gratitude to your joined efforts, Earl Arrington, Earl Phantomhive,' the Queen thanked both nobles.

'Please, Your Majesty. We are not worthy of such kind words,' Daniel responded.

'It is simply our duty, Your Majesty. Think nothing of it,' Ciel joined in, a solemn expression gracing his features.

Not exceptionally interested in the pleasantries that went on, Alice decided to ponder on more pressing matters. She bit into a small cucumber sandwich and replayed the events of that early afternoon, trying as best as she could to subdue her irritation. After all the trouble she went through in order to convince her father to let her accompany them disguised as part of the Queen's guard, she could not merit the success of this mission all to herself. It was not polite. Especially since William Hamilton had not been captured by her or the guards but by none other than Ciel Phantomhive's butler. She glanced over to the two men, swallowing the bite she took earlier. They had competent butlers back home as well but Alice had never seen someone as prepared and capable as the count's personal servant. Right when they had cornered Hamilton, the butler had appeared out of nowhere and had secured the offender with such ease, it was beyond human reasoning. _Unnecessary, really_ , Alice thought to herself now that she could not take full credit for her contribution. A servant replenished her plateau with additional sandwiches however Alice had to resist the urge to take another one; she wished to still fit in her dress by the end of the day.

The men continued talking entertaining the Queen in her topics which gave Alice plenty of time to analyse the new enemy. She had been introduced to the earl today having never seen the thirteen-year-old boy up till now yet she remembered meeting his father, Vincent Phantomhive once or twice during social events. A child herself at that time, Alice remembered the late Phantomhive earl as extremely handsome and well-mannered and realized the boy would end up resembling his father in about 6 years or so.

'Very well then, now that we are all acquainted with each other, I would like to address a matter of great interest to me. First of all, Earl Phantomhive,' the Queen directed her attention toward Ciel, 'I heard you have recently broken off your engagement to Lady Elizabeth Midford. Is that true?'

Ciel straightened his back in his chair, finally realizing what all this was about. He expected the Queen to be displeased about his decision however he did not expect for her to discuss it with him in the company of someone else.

'Yes, that is correct, Your Majesty,' Ciel affirmed, bringing his cup of tea to his lips to hide any perspiring emotion.

'Good!' The Queen chanted, her hands clasped together joyfully. Upon skilfully seeing the look of confusion on the young boy's face, Victoria went on with the explanation. 'Because I would very much like it if you and Lady Alice here would get engaged as of today.'

As a reaction to the Queen's statement, Ciel involuntarily spurted his tea through his lips coughing loudly in the process. Silence fell over the entire space, the only persisting sound being that of Ciel's spastic coughs as he shamefully tried to gasp for air.

'More tea, Earl?' The Queen asked Ciel visibly amused.

Finishing his round of coughs, Ciel raised his hand slightly, finally succeeding in delivering his answer.

'No, there is no need, Your Majesty.'

'Perhaps you have objections to my wish?'

'No, Your Majesty, I would never. I trust your judgement completely.'

'That is exactly what I needed to hear. Lord Arrington, there you have it. Your daughter is to marry Earl Phantomhive when he comes of proper age. How old is your daughter now?'

'Eighteen, Your Majesty,' Daniel Arrington replied.

'Very well, you don't have long to wait, my dear Alice. In a year, Ciel will be legally allowed to marry you.'

Alice remained motionless in her seat, her own heart almost stopping its beating cycle. She opened her mouth to utter something. Anything. But there was nothing. Status and social constraints obstructed her voice. Stupefaction wrapped its long fingers around her neck, paralyzing her senses, rendering her unable to react to the horrific news. She turned her head to look at the Phantomhive count for any sign of rebellion but the boy had regained his composure in the meantime and was currently starring at her with his only visible blue eye. The Queen herself was fixing her with her gaze, almost provoking her to refuse. Her father on the other hand, avoided looking at Alice completely. Just when she needed him the most, the main enemy had revealed himself to be in her boat. Her fingers curled on the armchair sides, her eyes burning questions into her father's skull:

 _Father, why are you allowing this? You promised me, didn't you? You said it was alright if I never married and inherited your name and title for as long as I lived. I was prepared to be Countess Arrington forever, no husband, no children, just this duty that I take so much pride in so why did you agree to this? Why are you selling me off to the Phantomhives? Am I not worthy enough? Is this it…?_

'Is there something wrong, Alice? Are you perhaps not content with my choice for you?' The Queen inquired, picking up on Alice's state of panic. 'He is a fine boy in whom I place absolute faith and he has proven adequate at sustaining his household. I don't see why you would be against it.'

While there was nothing untrue about the Queen's statements, that was not Alice's main issue here. Truth be told, she had heard herself about the tragedy that struck the Phantomhives and how that boy had managed to rebuild everything back all by himself and while he most probably deserved an outstanding wife, she was not the one for him. She had her own goals and glory to achieve and being resumed just to being someone else's wife was not what she desired. She could not accept it. Alice would not. She gathered all her mental strength and raised her head to look at the Queen straight in the eye. She was alone on this battlefield but she would put on a fight. She would take her shield and sword and … drop them all the Queen's feet. Victoria's stern expression permitted no room for any negation. As soon as Alice dared to revolt, the feeling of regret engulfed her completely. What a fool she was, thinking even for a second she could resist against that woman. That pillar of support, that wall of iron and power would not be broken. Despite seated at the same level, Alice felt as if the Queen had been raised on a tall pedestal looking down at her intently. In defeat, Alice closed her eyes, not believing the words that came out of her mouth:

'I am most grateful, Your Highness,' Alice responded, realizing that disobeying the Queen was not one of the Arrington family's common mistakes.

'Congratulations, Alice,' Daniel finally acknowledged his daughter's existence, a wave of relief crossing over his face at her decision to handle everything gracefully. This time however, it was Alice's turn to ignore him as she leaned in her chair, shaking moderately.

Witness to the entire unfolding scene, Sebastian bent enough to reach Ciel's ear.

'Young Master, this could turn out to be problematic.'

'Not necessarily,' Ciel said, his delicate fingers rubbing at his chin in thought.

'What exactly do you mean by that, if I am allowed to ask?' Sebastian manifested his curiosity.

'Do you know who Count Arrington is, Sebastian? He is the closest nobility to the Queen. The amount of information on his hands is endless; his connections are impressive and his influence definite which means that having ties with this family will ensure finding the ones responsible for the fall of my household considerably quicker,' Ciel whispered under his smirk. 'That, of course, entitles you getting your hands on my soul sooner than expected.'

'Ah, I see now,' Sebastian said, his smile now matching that of his master. Maybe that young woman could turn out to be a blessing in disguise instead.

'Moreover, a year is a long time and I don't plan to wait that long to get my revenge. I'm sure the same goes for you,' the boy revealed, his hand instinctively now touching his eyepatch in contemplation.

'I couldn't agree with you more, Young Master,' Sebastian arched his back to his initial straight posture, sensing he could start to appreciate Lady Alice's addition to the picture.

The conversation versed into its initial flow once more, no further discussions of marriage involved and thus Alice was free to wreck her mind over her new situation. She could hear her mother laughing in her face, repeating the words she had tried to instil in her ever since birth.

 _You may try to rise up against the world as much as you like Alice but as you grow up, you will come to understand that at times, we are all forced to do things we can't accept and that does not depend on age, status nor gender. This is how life is and we all have to play our parts._

No matter how humiliating it was for her to accept that her mother was right, Alice had to see the truth for what it was. Her turn to pay the toll for living had arrived. She was not even able to fight back. In just a few minutes, her whole existence had changed into something else and she felt she had lost pieces of her identity through this engagement. And not only did she have to say goodbye to her ambition of taking her father's role and becoming the Countess of Arrington but she was also to be wedded to a child. A boy five years younger than her who could only see her as a beneficial transaction, as it often was the case. Glancing over to the boy count, Alice's face paled in indignation. Did he just smirk her? Did that brat truthfully smirk at her? Did he not realize what was going on? Or maybe he did, after all. Ciel Phantomhive was the Queen's watchdog but in comparison to him, her father was a high-ranked lion. In a single day, Alice's status had diminished while that boy's had risen to unimaginable heights. And only because she was temporarily weak and had no idea social confrontations could attain such supremacy. But she could learn, could she not?

 _I'll give it two months, Earl Phantomhive_ , Alice thought to herself. _In two months, I'll make you regret saying yes to this engagement and you will be the one to break this union off, after all, you have the precedent_ , she figured, referring to his previous broken engagement with Midford's daughter. _And I will be free and ready to deal the same with any other future fiancé until I will be the ruler of my household and true bearer of the Arrington name._

Needless to say, by the end of the Queen's tea party, everyone was smirking.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hello everyone, nice to meet you and welcome back to any potential old readers/reviewers. I hope this chapter has sparked some curiosity so if this is something you would like to continue reading, please leave a review to let me know if I should continue this story or not. This is tagged under romance as well because this will be a growing relationship that has the possibility to mature as the characters reach adulthood, *cough Ciel especially. This will be a challenge for me to write because it is not your regular relationship and it is fulfilling to write about Ciel since he is a man in a boy's body and he does not let anyone in his life except Sebastian and this element will be forever present in this fanfiction. Thank you and take care!

 **Mentions:**

\- Marriage age in Victorian era: After 1823, a male could marry as young as fourteen without parental consent, and a girl at 12. Most girls, however, married between the ages of 18 and 23, especially in the upper classes.

\- An unmarried woman of 21 could inherit and administer her own property. Even her father had no power over it. Which is why Alice hopes to become the Countess and heir.

\- William Hamilton: tried to shoot the Queen in 1849 as she was travelling in her royal carriage toward Buckingham Palace. I changed some of the facts a bit to suit the story.


	2. The pretence of tea parties

**Chapter 2: The pretence of tea parties**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.  
**

* * *

It was strange having guests in his manor. Well, guests that would walk out alive, Ciel added mentally. Apart for a few exceptions, strangers always expired in his house, whether it was from his own personal want or by their own fault. However, the people Ciel invited to sit down across from him in the parlour, were not to be considered strangers anymore. They were his future parents-in-law and his future wife.

He had been momentarily shocked when Queen Victoria voiced out her desire to unite him and lady Alice in marriage, that was the last thing he had expected to hear come out of her mouth but when he took a few seconds to consider it, Ciel realized this engagement could bring him quite the benefits. Through that girl's father, he would have access to his line of information and above all, have the chance to infiltrate social circles that would have remained closed to him otherwise. What better way to track down his parents' murderers than by covering every inch of Victorian social class?

Ciel leaned back into his chair, his fingers entwined on his lap and smiled back at the girl's mother who seemed awfully content about this arranged marriage. Swiftly, he glanced over to Alice Arrington, intent on analysing the girl to the best of his subtlety. She was eighteen, which made her five years his senior and already a blooming lady. Ciel took note of her good taste, appreciating her matching pink ribbons and classic corset whereas her mahogany-coloured hair had been pinned up in a voluminous chignon at the back of her head, exposing her delicate, white neck. The Phantomhive earl admitted he was perhaps too young and clearly disinterested in a woman's beauty, yet, Sebastian had murmured she was quite pretty by human standards and Ciel himself realized that he did not feel displeased upon looking at her. Still, such matters were of no substance to him, especially since he did not plan on investing any sincere feelings in their union. He had told Sebastian beforehand that he was to treat lady Alice with courtesy and nothing beyond that. She would not be part of the family and instead would remain a simple asset, a piece of decorum that for the price of invading his home would pose no interdiction to his requests. After all, what more was there to a woman? Nothing in his view, apart from useless chatter and frivolous displays of their latest fashion. The women in his family had set a higher example than that but lady Alice would enjoy a short presence in his life, of that he would make sure.

'You have such a lovely home Earl Phantomhive, don't you think so, dear?' Vanessa Arrington asked her husband for validation, sensing the conversation was not running as smoothly as she had initially hoped.

'Yes, very,' the Arrington Earl agreed with his wife, patting a napkin on his lips as he finished his cup of tea. As soon as his tea cup was placed on its tiny porcelain plate, Ciel gestured for Sebastian to refill it immediately, task the butler had done so gracefully. 'We're thankful for the invitation, Earl.'

Ciel watched Sebastian fulfil his duties, careful to spot anything that would appear unnatural or inhuman. The last thing he wanted was to raise suspicion in those people.

'Yes, well, it is customary for the groom's parents to call upon your presence at your own house but since my parents are no longer here, I hope the visit to my manor was at least half-satisfactory. I wished to open my doors to you and also offer Lady Alice the opportunity to see her future home,' Ciel said, faking a worried expression. _And thus gain some of your trust_ , the boy left that particular part out.

'Please Earl Phantomhive, we are delighted to be here. May the Lord have mercy on your parents' souls and may they rest in peace,' Vanessa offered sincerely, her eyes watering up at the mention of his family loss. 'I wish for you to know that you may find in us the support you need and even though we may never replace your parents, there is absolutely nothing you cannot request from us,' Vanessa declared, squeezing her husband's hand in complicity.

'That makes me extremely grateful, Countess,' Ciel responded, finally receiving what he wanted to hear.

Count Arrington starred down at his hand, briefly unhappy at his wife's unmeasured generosity. He had agreed to this engagement as his duty towards the Queen, however, he had a full year of finding out whether Ciel Phantomhive was worthy of his daughter or not and at the smallest mistake, he would make sure to crumble the ground under that boy's feet. Alice had not forgiven him for his decision, fact proven by her constant coldness in regards to him. Nevertheless, he would withstand her instances of ignoring him for as long as it would take if that meant his daughter would not die alone in this life. Daniel had considered his daughter's goals many times before and despite knowing how capable Alice was, he still did not have the heart to let her inherit the title and remain childless. All he wanted for her was to be able to live happily with someone who could truly love her and care for her which was why he accepted count Phantomhive as his son-in-law. He was still a boy, therefore impressionable, which meant Alice's influence on him would be that of an older sister – influence which could affect him as he would grow and translate into love for his daughter eventually. There were plenty of other people to advise and protect the Queen, for now his daughter only had to focus on her own happiness. Little by little, Daniel would learn how to control Ciel Phantomhive's business as the Queen's watchdog and moderate it to reach a safer level. And if in the end matters would not converge to his conclusion, Alice would have her title but not without Daniel trying to offer her another path. As a parent, he felt that was his main task.

'I have prepared something, I hope it was not too daring of me,' Ciel spoke, bringing back Daniel's attention to him. 'Sebastian, please bring it,' the boy ordered his butler as the tall servant went over to a chest. Bringing it to his young master, he set the lid aside to extract a small velvet box which Ciel opened in front of his guests.

'It was on a rather short notice but be that as it may, I managed to commission our family's jeweller for this piece. I hope it suits lady Alice's taste,' Ciel revealed a delicate wedding band encrusted with small sapphires all around it.

'That is very thoughtful of you, Phantomhive,' Daniel praised, content to see his boy taking his responsibilities seriously.

'Oh my, what a beautiful engagement ring!' Vanessa exclaimed, prodding her daughter to react accordingly.

'Please accept it Lady Alice, it is proof of our union,' Ciel said, standing up and inching closer to Alice. He took the ring out the box and placed it in the palm of the girl's hand expectantly. He had to do this the right way or else there was no certainty he could ever make the Arrington family trust him.

Alice looked down at the ring. It was indeed, a pretty ring. It was proof of her incarceration.

'Thank you, Count Phantomhive. I will cherish it dearly,' Alice responded without placing the ring on her finger as it was customary. That fact did not go unnoticed by Ciel whose eyes darkened slightly, sensing the girl was not entirely sold on this engagement. He wondered about it; could it be the difference in age that was disagreeable? That was not particularly a problem in that day and age. Or perhaps she was in love with someone else? Again, not a reason to worry in the long run. It must have been something else, Ciel figured. Her tone and reactions were extremely polished and careful and that chatoyant eyes of hers spoke of too much experience to not have considered these issues beforehand herself.

'Now that this matter was settled, I am sure my wife would like to see the garden, Earl,' Daniel suggested, his wife's face lightening up at his words.

'What a wonderful idea!'

At the sound of that, Ciel was about to rise from his chair when Vanessa's voice halted his action.

'Oh, there's no need for you to accompany us, Earl. I am convinced your reliable butler here could do us the honour,' Vanessa proposed, hand gently pointed at Sebastian.

Exchanging glances with his butler, Ciel understood that cunning woman's message. She wanted both him and Alice to remain alone. Perhaps it was for the better, this would help him understand lady Alice a little more and therefore know where to place her on his chessboard. In consequence, Ciel nodded at Sebastian.

'However, Young Master…' Sebastian attempted to change his mind, knowing better than anyone how poor Ciel's social skills with the female gender were.

A short glare was enough to reinforce Ciel's order as Sebastian understood there was no room for a refusal. He bowed deeply and uttered a decisive 'Yes, My Lord' after which he focused his attention on his master's guests.

'Count, Countess, please follow me as we start off with the Eastern wing of the garden. The roses have already bloomed there.'

'Lovely, I absolutely adore roses,' Vanessa expanded her fan as she took Daniel's arm and proceeded to head out through the doors leading to the garden.

'I imagined you would,' Sebastian flashed his fanged smile, having easily read what kind of woman the countess was.

'Sebastian, was it?' Count Arrington questioned.

'Yes, Count Arrington, that is what my Young Master calls me.'

'Very well. How many acres does this estate hold?'

'Quite an impressive number. If we take into account the acres of forest and the annexed land by the hill then I suppose…'

Their voices faded into the background and eventually muted completely, engulfing the room Ciel and Alice were into complete silence. At last, they could address each other directly and discover where each of them stood. While Ciel thoroughly weighted which introductory topic to dive into first, Alice had already begun her offensive.

'I have a few questions I would like to ask you,' Alice said, her diplomatic smile having disappeared with the relocation of her parents.

'Of course, please feel free to ask me anything you like, Lady Alice,' Ciel agreed, not surprised by her curiosity. It was only natural for women to ask questions to their fiancés. Preparing himself for inquires such as his favourite book title or the colour of her wedding dress, Ciel had almost lost his grip on his impassive face as Alice's voice crushed his expectations.

'What is it that you're after?'

Ciel frowned, not liking her approach.

'I'm afraid I don't understand what you're implying.'

'I believe you do, Count. You seem to be quite gifted with a bright mind and we both know these types of engagements are for gaining purposes. I simply wish to understand what you covet to obtain through this union. Is it social power? A certain position you wish to attain or maybe some valuable information? Perhaps you are in need of consolidating your household even more now that your parents are gone?'

Ciel clenched his teeth, holding back on a harsher tone. She was so quiet earlier, sipping on her tea and eating the small cakes she was provided with. Where did this inquisitive woman appear from?

'It's highly possible you might have misunderstood me, Lady Alice. I was to marry one day eventually and since that day has come, I have faith in our Queen's pick for me, that is all there is.'

'Oh please spare me of useless displays of loyalty, Count. I heard you were previously engaged to Marquis Midford's daughter,' Alice confronted, placing the engagement ring on the table and spinning it lightly until it calmed its rotation cycle and rested peacefully on the wooden surface. 'Why did you break off the engagement?'

'That is none of your business,' Ciel said, disliking her treatment of the ring he had just given her. It was as if she knew it was all a joke for him – a façade. Even so, he hated when others also proved to have an upper hand in the game especially when this time, he had no need for an intelligent pawn.

'None of my business,' Alice repeated with a short laugh. 'I am your wife-to-be, Earl. I have every right to know why you changed your mind about your other choice. In what way was she unsatisfactory? I need to know in order to avoid making the same mistakes as she did,' Alice craftily constructed her answer, looking at Ciel through the loop of the ring, having taken it into her hand once more.

'This issue remains between Lady Elizabeth Midford and I. I'm sure you have been properly taught the privacy etiquette enough to understand that I am, by no means, obligated to answer that question.'

Alice had to confess she was rather taken aback by his maturity. As a first impression, the earl had struck her as a very pompous brat whose achievements were most likely exaggerated. It was a bit unsettling having this conversation with a child who seemed to understand more than an adult did.

'Wisely-said,' Alice praised.

'I am simply speaking the truth, Lady Alice.'

'Alice will suffice,' she corrected him, sneakily prompting him to drop the honorifics. 'Please Count, I want to be your friend,' Alice revealed while taking out the imaginary ace up her sleeve. 'I do not wish for this engagement and I am sure neither do you. After all, you are still a child, you need your freedom for a few more years and I have other plans. Marriage does not suit me, I have absolutely no talent for serving a man as his wife and you yourself would find someone like Lady Elizabeth Midford more preferable, I'm sure.'

Ciel smirked, understanding what she was hinting at. That girl was after her father's title. She wanted to become the next Arrington Countess and for that she had to remain unmarried at least until she reached 21 years old. How rare to see a woman courageous enough to walk through this life alone and take upon herself the responsibilities of a man. While their current law allowed for women to manage their own estate when being the sole heir and remaining unmarried, every woman's dream and purpose was that of finding herself a husband and providing the next heir. Along with that power she hungered after, came an equally puissant shame. Would she be able to withstand that discriminatory behaviour from others? The critical eye of society? The loss of some of her most important rights as a woman? Ciel did not know and did not care even in the slightest bit.

'Marriage does not suit me either,' Ciel joined her game, 'but I cannot go against Her Majesty's wishes. '

Alice's eyebrows furrowed in irritation, not liking his stubborn nature but secretly appreciating his astuteness.

'Let's cut this short, shall we? Cancel the engagement and I shall grant you your wish. Whatever it is, I will help you get it. This will be our deal, and I can swear on my honour as a Lady that I always keep my promises.'

It was tempting and it might have turned out easier that way if only he was naive enough. This could have just as well be a test from Her Majesty, the Queen had that tendency whenever it came to him. Moreover, that girl was still an outlander to him, he could not trust in her words that easily. Everyone lied and a pretty girl was no exception. There was no guarantee she could grant him access to what he had in mind, especially after disappointing her family and the Queen herself by breaking off the engagement. As much as Ciel disliked it, he had to be patient and build up the game.

'I apologise for disappointing you Alice,' Ciel said, calling her by her first name only, just as she had indicated, 'but there is no reason for me to accept your deal since there is nothing I wish for at present apart from protecting Her Majesty's interests. I will have to refuse your request.'

Her change in behaviour had been so sudden. Her face darkened, her back arched in defiance and her fingers curled around the ring in her hand so tightly, her knuckles turned white. Ciel delightfully noticed she was a force to reckon with and that faintly amused him.

'Listen here, you brat,' Alice spouted, finally revealing her true character, 'it's either you do as I say or I'll make your life such living hell, you'll break off the engagement at a drop of a hat!'

Ciel blinked in disbelief, seeing a side of her he did not foresee. Usually, noble women always watched their manners but she must have gotten impatient, Ciel mused. She must have figured that just because she was dealing with someone younger, she would succeed easier. Clearly, she had never met someone like him or knew anything about him. If she did, she would not dare make such bold statements.

'I've been through hell already, Lady Arrington,' Ciel's tone shattered the tension, himself forgetting about his own manners, 'which is why I invite you to try as you might but I assure you, nothing will ever come as close to what I have lived through. From my point of view, this engagement still stands.'

Alice shuddered instinctively, realizing there was more to that boy than he allowed to transpire. She had almost lost her will to speak. She had hoped her attitude would scare him off, not prologue this war. She forced herself to speak again but they had been interrupted by her returning parents, along with Sebastian, the butler.

'How was your stroll?' the blue-eyed boy inquired politely.

'Most wonderful,' Vanessa chirped, her arms filled with freshly-cut roses. 'Sebastian helped me pick them out and take out the thorns. He's quite reliable, this one.'

'I am honoured, Countess,' Sebastian thanked her, head bowed to both of Alice's parents.

'And you two? Have you gotten to know each other?' Daniel questioned, helping his wife with the flowers as Sebastian went over to the kitchen to prepare another pot of tea.

'Indeed we have,' Ciel responded. 'We discovered we have plenty of things in common.'

'Is that so, Alice?' Count Arrington asked for confirmation, seating himself besides his daughter again and offering her a rose. She took it unimpressed, noticing there was a throne left on its stem, much like the current situation she was in.

'Yes. Plenty,' she said dryly. Alice regretted having lost her composure in front of that child. She should have faked her character a bit more but she had lost her patience. No matter, she would simply have to go on with her initial plan. From what she had heard, Phantomhives never settled for a truce anyways.

* * *

No sooner had Sebastian arrived in the kitchen that he was assaulted by the servants.

'Sebastian, sir, how is everything going? Do you need our help with anything?' Mey-Rin popped up in front of Sebastian's face, holding on to her glasses.

'Need me to roast anything for dinner?´ Bard grinned, anticipating the use of his trusty flame-thrower.

Sebastian walked over to the sink and rinsed the tea pot, trying to tone down some of the enthusiasm of his fellow colleagues.

´Everything is under control for now. And I don't believe the Arringtons are planning to stay for dinner,´ he explained on his way to the cupboard, taking out a recipient of freshly dried tea leaves. He then proceeded to bring out a different pot and other porcelain cups, arranging them on the tray. For a moment there, he considered asking the maid to bring the dirty tea cups from the parlour yet, considering her clumsiness, he made sure to change his mind in that regard. His young master had ordered everything to be perfect which was why he considered it best to take care of everything by himself.

´Heh, that's too bad,´ Bard complained, furthering away from his cabinet of dangerous kitchen weapons.

´Sebastian, sir, is our lord getting along well with Lady Alice?´ Mey-Rin expressed her curiosity.

The butler could not know yet, especially since he had not listened in to their private conversation and not to mention, it was already far too early to deliver a verdict. He could not read Lady Alice very well yet, throughout the entire tea event she had remained silent. _However_ …Sebastian paused in his actions, recalling how her eyes had been attentive to each of everyone's reaction. She had a talent for knowing how to be quiet and not bother with her silence. _A demonic asset, that one_ , he mentally added bemused at the entire situation.

'It appears so,' Sebastian replied to the redhead's question, hands busy with arranging napkins.

'Ah, that's good. Our master is so mature dealing with it, my heart would burst out of my chest,´ Mey- Rin confided in them. ´Lady Alice is so pretty, I've never seen such a high-society lady that close.'

´Well, of course you haven't,´ Bard joined in. ´Don't you know who Count Arrington is? He's royalty himself so of course he would not let his daughter roam on the streets freely.´

´Ehhhh, so that's why?´

´How can you all be that cruel?´ A fourth voice made its debut. Finny, who had remained silent up till now, finally decided to speak up. He had listened to their conversation from his high stool, fidgeting with his hands, at a loss for proper words.

´What exactly do you mean by that, Finny?´ Sebastian inquired, truly interested in what deemed him cruel in the boy's view. He had been careful to reply in diplomatic words, after all. Mey-Rin and Bard themselves turned around, expecting the boy's answer.

´Is no one worried about Lady Elizabeth?´ Finny questioned. ´She was our lady first. She was always nice to us and considered us part of the family and now our master just…casted her aside,´ Finny said, holding back on his tears. ´It's not fair,´ he insisted, ´she's such a sweet girl, she doesn't deserve this.´

´Finny…´ Mey-Rin went over to the boy, feeling guilty for not thinking about Lady Elizabeth's situation. She placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, trying to comfort him as best as she could.

Bard scratched the back of his head, uncomfortable with the subject.

´Look, kid, it's our master's choice. We don't have a word in this, right Sebastian? Hey, give me a hand here, will you?´

´It's just as Bard said, Finny,´ Sebastian agreed, not really understanding why he had to explain such an obvious matter.

´But…I like Lady Elizabeth…,´ the boy admitted, tears already starting strolling down his cheeks, ´and Lady Alice did not even look at us when she got out of her carriage. She passed by us as if we weren't even there.´

 _Aahhh, humans are such fickle creatures_ , Sebastian thought to himself. _They hang on so tightly and yet they expect strangers to care for them immediately_.

´Finnian,´ Sebastian addressed the boy on a more serious note. He stopped his momentary work and posted himself in front of the boy, tall and demanding attention. ´Our master knows best what this family needs and we, as servants of the Phantomhive household are to support our master's decisions without complaint. It is our duty and our pride. Do I make myself clear?´

As always, Sebastian had a way with words that brought back reason to him. He was just a boy servant after all, his master did not need his opinion about who he could marry or not. Rubbing his eyes off the tears, Finny sniffed and nodded his head in acceptance.

´Whether he chooses Lady Alice or any other lady, that is none of our business,´ Sebastian reinforced, looking back at an approaching Tanaka. Agreeing with every word the younger butler had said, Tanaka also contributed verbally:

´Instead, we shall fulfil our tasks and treat with the same decent courtesy each and every lady that crosses the threshold of this manor.´

´That is absolutely right, Tanaka, sir,´ Sebastian bowed shortly, his tea tray already in his hands. ´Now if you'll excuse me, our guests are waiting. Do try to behave, will you?´ Sebastian shot the question at the rest of the servants, content to hear a determined reply from their part.

´Yes, sir!´

Making his way through the hallway, Sebastian reflected on the previous talk in the kitchen.

 _Finny, you silly boy, Lady Alice did not look you in the eye because she is a proper lady. Unlike Lady Elizabeth whose affection for our master breaks conventions, Lady Alice has been taught to think of herself as superior. But rest assured, she took note of your presence; I believe she had already learnt all of our names and characteristics, that woman is more perceptive than she lets show_ , Sebastian mused.

That being said, Sebastian was slightly impressed to see his master take on a confrontation so well. When he accompanied the girl's parents into the garden, he had left Ciel and Alice on different horses; Lady Alice seemed to have the upper hand – fact entirely reversed when Sebastian returned. Her anterior confidence had been shaken off slightly while his master appeared to be entirely pleased.

And when Ciel was pleased, so was Sebastian.

* * *

´Should I add another log into the fireplace, Your Majesty?´ John Brown asked the Queen in the comfort of her personal quarters.

She turned her attention towards her favourite attendee and shook her head.

´That won't be necessary, John. I prefer my rooms cold.´

´As you wish, Your Majesty.´

Dusting his hands off, John rose to his feet and walked over to the Queen, taking a seat after being granted permission. They both watched the ambers in the fireplace with childish fascination, both of their minds wandering off to unspoken places. It had been such a sunny afternoon, quiet and peaceful, just as Victoria liked them. There was nothing she enjoyed more than spending time with her own butler and discussing the latest events.

´May I ask you a question, Your Majesty?´ John asked softly.

´You may,´ the Queen responded, still captivated by the fading flames.

´Why did you propose a marriage engagement between Lady Alice Arrington and Earl Phantomhive? I was under the impression you whished for Lady Alice to become the next Countess of Arrington.´

Victoria smiled at the question, a part of her expecting to hear it from him sooner than later.

´Because, my dear John, this game can reach many different conclusions and I simply want to see it reach the best one.´

´Perhaps also keep a tighter leash on the Phantomhive boy?´ Brown inquired.

´Correct,´ Victoria agreed, finally locking eyes with her loyal servant. ´But also because those two resemble each other very much and sometimes, it's good to have a partner to mirror all the bad parts about yourself which otherwise you would refuse to see.´

´I understand,´ John Brown said, opting to remain silent afterwards.

Victoria also followed his example, thinking back at the young engaged couple. They had so much in common; death, revenge, ambition, everything really. She had to admit she took a gamble on them, giving the fact that their union would either make them self-destruct or create a formidable alliance. And even so, Alice was still yet inexperienced to take over her estate; this year with the Phantomhive boy could teach her that not everything was in the palm of her hands. The Queen remembered that look of desperation Alice had given her when her engagement had been announced. For a second there, the Queen failed to recognize her. That child had been present in her palace since the moment she was born; she had seen her grow and learn how to comport herself as a Lady. And she had never thought she would claw out that rebellion out of her so quickly. But this time she would not help her up. Not unless she was truly set on finding her own way.

A sudden knock was heard at the door, flowed by the arrival of two young males dressed in white uniforms.

´Charles Grey. Chares Phipps,´ the Queen greeted the two.

´Your Majesty, we apologise for bothering you so late however, it is a matter of great importance. Benjamin Sarrow is currently in London,´ Grey announced as he kneeled down alongside his partner.

´Is that so?´ the Queen asked, her features harshening at the mention of that man´s name.

´Yes, Your Majesty. He has arrived this morning with the earliest ferry,´ Phipps supplied the additional information.

´Finally, he's here,´ Victoria voiced out as she rose to her feet, Brown taking his turn to kneel at the base of her chair. ´Send out the invitations, then. We'll have ourselves a royal ball next week. You three make sure Sarrow receives one as well.´

´Yes, Your Majesty!´ The joint answer was heard.

In the fireplace, the heat had gradually died off into ashes.

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 **A/N:** Hello all and thank you for reviewing, it means so much to me! Special thanks to the ones who added this story to their favourites and are also following, hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter as well. Let me know if you do!

 **For my reviewers:**

 **lizyeh2000:** Oh, you have no idea how happy I am to see a familiar ´face´ here! Welcome back and I´m so happy to see you return to my stories and liking this one! No need to apologise for asking, yes, Alice is the OC, I'm trying a different writing style so that's why I´m playing with perspectives here, heh. Hope you liked this chapter also, my dear. Love!

 **promocat:** Hey there, thank you for reviewing and for giving this story a shot! I know OCs are not usually everyone's cup of tea but I'm praying Alice will be acceptable. It's going to be fun exploring her growing ties with Ciel! See you next chapter!^^

 **Diamond-Grl45:** Hello, so nice of you to comment, thank you! This story is going to follow the manga, it happens right after the latest arc will be finished, you know, the one where Elizabeth disappears again. This also made me realize Ciel is putting Elizabeth in too much danger and there is no need for him to continue with this engagement, but that's just my opinion so I'm building this fanfiction around it. As for Alice's plans, let's just say she doesn't plan to play the obedient type .

 **BornABurra:** It's incredible to see how many people followed me from my Tokyo Ghoul fanfiction, this is such a great honour^^. I hope this story will not disappoint in plot and in staying true to the characters´ personalities. And you know, this is going to be a bit harder to incorporate since, as you have already said, I´m dealing with a main character here and Alice appears after everything that has unfolded in Kuroshitsuji up till now. But it will be fun, I'll have to invent new plots and situations to put them in while also keeping in mind what Ciel wants. Hope to see you comment again! Take care!

 **Arces:** So happy to see you here too! Thank you for reading and following this story as well, it gives me the right amount of motivation to update quicker when I receive so much love and reviews. Have a lovely day/night! ;)


	3. Cold tea

**Chapter 3: Cold tea**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

It had been two days since Alice's visit to the Phantomhive manor and approximately one afternoon since she had received the latest letter from the Queen and neither of those two events were highly pleasing. The visit to the boy Earl naturally because of her failure to convince him to follow her plan and the Queen's letter because it actually comprised an invitation to a royal ball. Truth be told, Alice disliked social events and yet, she never failed to participate in one. She knew the importance of these gatherings better than anyone. If you wanted to find or leak information, this was the perfect occasion. If you wished to frame someone or catch them red-handed, again, the most suitable opportunity. Anything could be obtained under the pretence of such a gathering, you only had to keep your eyes open and your ears sharp.

Alice´s carriage stopped downtown as both she and her attendant Nora descended on the pavement, her long dress trailing a path as they strolled along towards her favourite bakery. While Nora was busy showing her all the new things displayed for sale in shops, Alice reflected on the Queen's invitation. Within her paragraphs, Alice had remembered a line of particular interest that said _'I hope to see you present at the ball Alice and also establish your acquaintance with some of our recently-returned guests such as Mr. Benjamin Sarrow.'_ She understood the Queen's message right away. Sarrow was going to be her next mission. From what she knew, Sarrow was quite the professional thief that smuggled important objects out of England to sell abroad for an impressive price and now that he was back in London, there was no doubt he would strike again. The Queen most likely wished to be informed of what treasure Sarrow planned on stealing next and thus preventing his criminal act. For this purpose, she felt she dreaded less the approaching date of the ball.

When they finally reached the bakery and opened the front door, a man in his forties made room for the two of them to enter by standing aside and bowing his head in sign of greeting. Alice and Nora thanked him politely and proceeded with their pace towards the counter, Alice's head turned in his direction. He was tall, stern-looking and with eyes so black you could not spot any light in them. Alice had never seen him before however, the impression he made on her would last her enough to want to find out his identity.

'Lady Alice, Nora! Welcome back,' a young woman greeted them behind the counter. 'You arrived at the perfect time, I've just taken out the lemon tarts from the oven, they're as fresh as they can be!' She chanted and revealed a tray full of goodies. Besides her, a little girl around six kept eyeing the tarts with subdued relish.

'They look delicious,' Alice praised, taking in the sweet smell of patisserie crafts and greedily looking around at all the tiny cakes and cookies spread methodically on shiny trays. 'I see your niece is eager to try them,' Alice giggled, referring to the little girl.

'Heh, Sophie here could eat the entire shop if she could,' the girl's aunt admitted.

'If only she could,' Alice said, smiling at the little girl who shyly hid behind her aunt Margret. 'We'll take the entire tray of your lemon tarts.'

'As always, you are so generous, Lady Alice. I'll wrap them up for you, please wait.'

Alice nodded in reply, waiting for her servant girl Nora to take out the money from her small coin pouch. While the tarts were being wrapped, Alice considered it wise to ask about a matter pressing to her.

'By the way, Margret. Who was that man who left earlier?'

'Ah, I don't really know, My Lady,' Margret responded, her back turned as she packaged the tarts as best as she could, 'but he was also very generous. He bought a few cookies and paid us far too much.'

'Is that so?' Alice inquired, suspicion asserting her features. 'Do you know who that man is, Sophie?' Alice kneeled down besides the brunette girl, her gloved hand patting her gently. Children always seemed to know more than adults did and their listening and observations skills were even more superior.

'No, My Lady,' Sophie denied, round eyes searching the young woman's face.

'Alright,' Alice dropped the matter, considering it wise not to pressure the girl anymore. They had already gone through so much in the past month. Margret's sister and at the same time the girl's mother, had died recently which left the entire shop and Sophie's well-being to be exclusively dealt by Margret and the grandfather. If it weren't for the shop, they wouldn't have had what to eat and therefore survive in today's harsh world and Sophie herself would have ended on the streets with the rest of the orphan children which was why the shop had to stand no matter whose death it witnessed.

The doorbell suddenly chimed, one more Lady stepping into the bakery shop with her own personal servant. Only a year older than Alice, Countess Amelia Redding was a beautiful blonde woman known throughout London to be the heart of any party, which, in her case, meant she was quite the gossiper. Upon approaching the counter and Alice altogether, Countess Amelia's smile instantly turned into a grin, eyes already inspecting Lady Arrington's attire for a potential fashion faux pass. When spotting none, she launched forward with a different approach.

'Lady Arrington, what a pleasure to see you so early in the morning! I can't believe we are frequenting the same bakery,' the young woman purred, slipping closer to Alice. 'I usually send my servants in but at time it's quite delightful to go pick whatever your heart desires directly from the shelf, don't you agree?'

'Absolutely,' Alice forced herself to answer. She had always been weary of that woman, her own sister Jane having warned her against nurturing any solid ties with her. They used to play together when they were children and even then, her true character would be buried underneath giggles and induced dramatic sighs. She enjoyed taking their toys and breaking them and manipulated everyone to her liking. In fact, Alice was quite envious of her skills.

'Half a pound of your chocolate cupcakes, Margret,' Amelia requested, leaving her servant girl to deal with the rest while she could focus entirely on Alice.

'I would like to congratulate you on your engagement, Alice,' Amelia dropped the formalities for old times sake. 'May you be as happy and fortunate as I am,' she whished to her, referring of course to her own marriage to Count Redding. She had married the Count almost a year ago, her father having secured for her a rather prosperous arrangement. Her wedding had been grand and elegant and while Count Redding was 24 years older than Amelia, he was quite the presentable gentleman. He also seemed to have sincere affection for the Marquis' daughter, despite her negative tendencies to irritate everyone with her superior behaviour.

'Thank you, Countess. I humbly accept your good thoughts,' Alice faked a smile, bowing her head shortly.

'You are most welcome,' she said, as she took off her silk gloves, revealing pure white hands. 'Married life changes you to be more lenient towards others, I have noticed. My husband's maturity has influenced me greatly, it seems. I hope it does not have the same effect on you though; giving the fact that your husband is still so green it would be troublesome if you reverted to a younger manner of reasoning. How old is Count Phantomhive, again? Ten?'

'He is thirteen,' Alice replied through gritted teeth, abstaining herself from slapping off the smirk from that woman's face.

'Oh, how lucky! You'll only have to wait one year before being able to legally marry him. He would still be a child but perhaps you could teach him a thing or two,' she went on spewing her mocking statements. Behind Alice, Nora paled, wondering how on earth her mistress maintained her calm. She almost attempted to say something in her defence but she knew from previous experiences that Lady Alice did not take well to other people defending her when she was perfectly capable of doing it herself.

'Yes, I am very lucky,' Alice finally began her offensive, a smile of her own blooming at the corners of her mouth. 'I will be one of the few wives in England to have a husband younger than herself. I dare say that is quite ideal, especially since old husbands seem to be the norm nowadays.'

While clearly not expecting it, Countess Redding had been offended. Her eyebrows instantly furrowed into a frown, eyes peering with savagery at Alice. How dare she make fun of her? How dare she think of herself highly just because she came from a better pedigree and had the Queen's favour? Amelia disliked Alice terribly. She envied her freedom and ability to obtain whatever she desired through stubbornness and well-planned wit. When Amelia first heard about Alice's engagement, she could not wait to torment her about it. To finally laugh in her face for not getting her way this time and for having to consequentially endure mockery from everyone. She had spread the news in her circle, she had made everyone believe this was the worst possible thing that could happen to Alice and she had personally started rumours about the girl being too undomesticated for any other man's taste other than that of a child. And now here she was, unaffected by whatever Amelia told her appearing more radiant than ever.

'I did not believe you thought of it as such, Alice. I personally lean towards a more mature man for you see, when Count Phantomhive reaches your age, he will realize that you are no longer as young as you are now and while he will be at the peak of his youth you will be at the end of yours,' the Countess hoped to deliver her final blow.

Alice, on the contrary, looked as if she was expecting that type of observation from her once childhood friend.

'You may be right, however…' Alice paused to arrange a lock of hair behind her ear, 'wouldn't the same thing be applied to your husband, Countess?'

Amelia frowned, not understanding her premise. She also instinctively backed away as Alice took a step forward into her imaginary territory.

'In five years' time you will also be at the end of your juvenescence and your husband will unmistakably look to his newly-wed friends and at their younger wives and he will start reconsidering your importance in his heart. After all,' Alice stressed, 'they say the older the husband, the younger the wife.'

Countess Redding's face turned red almost instantly. Her gloves were gripped so tightly between her fingers Alice was certain the creases would remain embedded in the material. She was about to thunder a round of insults she would deeply regret soon after when Alice courteously stopped her by invading her space even more, face nearing hers.

'Women have to remain united, Countess Redding. While indeed, women are the enemy, you can rest assured that when calamity strikes, you are able to find better allies in their ranks than in those of men.'

Just as quickly as she had ruffled her feathers, Amelia had just as quickly calmed down. The tension in her limbs dispersed and the vein threatening to pop earlier had buried itself deep beneath the skin again. There was truth in what Alice had said and while she did not want to admit it, Amelia had to hand over that win to Alice. It was in her best interest to be on good terms with Count Arrington's daughter. For a moment there, she almost forgot who she was talking to. If she ever crossed that invisible line, Amelia would make an enemy of the entire Arrington family and implicitly, the Queen.

'I'll see you at the Queen's ball, Lady Arrington,' the Countess silenced the conversation, shooting an ugly glare to her servant. 'Well, hurry up, girl! I still have that tailor appointment to get to.'

With their departure, the door was forcefully slammed behind them, no one daring to move an inch. Nora eventually built up her courage.

'My Lady,' she whispered.

'I'm fine. I was expecting to hear that from her,' Alice reassured, still slightly shook by her small anger. While she did handle the situation admirably, she could not help but be swayed by the Countess' words. Her fiancé was a child, there was no doubt about it. If her intentions were that of marriage, then perhaps Alice would be in even more torment knowing that her partner's height did not even reach her shoulders. But Alice did not plan to marry and in fact, perhaps it was better for her that Ciel Phantomhive was a young boy. It made things less complicated.

 _So let them talk_ , Alice thought to herself. _Let them whisper and gossip and laugh at me. Let they congratulate the Earl for such a nice catch and mock me for my share of bad luck. In the end, I will be victorious._

A small tug at her dress averted Alice's attention down at Sophie, the little girl having approached her silently. She gazed at the girl's dirty hands, her palms filled with brown cookies.

'Please have some, My Lady. I baked them myself.'

'Sophie, what do you think you're doing, you stupid girl?!' Margret appeared from behind the corner ready to slap the girl's hands away only to be stopped by Alice's action of actually taking one of the cookies and chewing on it without reserve. It was creamy on the inside, chocolate filling spreading as soon as her teeth crunched it into pieces. In her poor attempt to cheer Alice up, Sophie had done quite a satisfactory job.

'Thank you, Sophie. It's very good,' she praised. 'Next time, bake a batch for me too, I'll buy them,' Alice promised the girl. Sophie's eyes filled with excitement, hands clapping with joy. She looked at Margret as if asking for permission and the moment Margret nodded, the little girl jumped into the air even more elated.

Children were really adorable, Alice mused. They were easy to attract to your side and you could make them listen to you if candy or promises of entertainment were involved. They were still pure and frank, which made her think of that fiancé child of hers as well. If only he could be this adorable too, she would even take him under her wing. But Ciel Phantomhive was not like that. Apart from his appearance, he hardly reminded her of a child. She wondered if there was even a time where he acted like one because it surely appeared as if he was made of stone. Whatever it was that happened to him, it must have been horrible enough to shape his character in a cold and ruthless manner. But that attitude of his worthy of kings was what irked Alice the most. Still just a young boy and already so certain he could have the world at his feet.

Nevertheless, Alice would never fall at his feet. No matter the circumstances, she would remain standing.

* * *

Benjamin Sarrow stepped out into the busy streets of London, picking up his pace. He had not been in this city for several years and while some things changed, the air of the capital had remained the same. Crossing over to the other side of the road, the man opened his small bag of cookies to give one a taste. They were truly delicious. It had been a good idea to visit that bakery, the taste of their patisserie products had also remained unchanged. He was greeted by the same overwhelming aroma of freshly baked dough and had been instantly transported back to that day, when he had entered the place for the first time and had been served by an entirely different shop attendant. He wanted to stay more, speak more, request more but other customers arrived which was why he had to leave immediately. No matter, he would return another day. For the moment, he had other plans.

In the left pocket of his coat, there was an envelope with an invitation. He did not deserve that invitation. The likes of him were never supposed to meet royalty and yet Queen Victoria herself requested for his presence at her ball. There was nothing more unsettling than a queen inviting a criminal to her soiree. Certainly she must have known that despite his opulence, everything he owned had been acquired through more or less unorthodox means therefore her decision to have him in her palace was without doubt a trap. One for the vermin he was for his acts of stealing, trading and exchanging so many valuable objects.

Even so, he would step into the trap willingly. This ball was the right occasion to get his hands on the information he so desperately needed, no matter how many obstacles there would be. He was a professional and most importantly, he was accustomed to deal with danger and its implications. He would do the usual and succeed.

Before that however, he needed some confirmations. His legs finally stopped him in front of a funeral parlour. Sarrow pushed open the entrance door, stepping into the dimly lit parlor. Candles were spread throughout the room, an eerie atmosphere prickling at his skin.

'I've come for some answers, Undertaker,' Sparrow uttered in the silence of the space.

From within the shadows, a dark silhouette emerged, quiet steps disturbing the floor. His long white hair hung loose on his shoulders, a wide grin beaming outward.

'Then I hope you are prepared to make me laugh,' Undertaker said, bony fingers fumbling in dark excitement.

* * *

'Really, Earl, that's why I keep telling you to come visit me more often at my shop! How am I supposed to make something spectacular on such a short notice, hmm? I'll just have to alter one of your unworn suits and hope it turns out for the best,' Nina Hopkins complained while measuring Ciel's arm length in the comfort of his own mansion.

'I don't need you to make something spectacular,' Ciel said, his harsh tone putting off the Phantomhive's personal tailor. 'Appropriate is what I'm expecting.'

Nina paused in her measurements, rising to her full height, hands on her hips to look at the earl disapprovingly.

'I'm afraid I don't do 'appropriate', Earl. It's either a masterpiece or nothing at all and I can't possibly allow my most important client to look ordinary at the Queen's ball. Please rest assured that I, Nina Hopkins, will perform a miracle today,' the overly-dramatic tailor proclaimed, her measuring tape extended once again.

Ciel sighed, letting the woman go on with her business as he stood perched on a chair at her disposal. In the background, Sebastian finished preparing a tray of refreshments and sandwiches for the female tailor's delight. He placed the serving plate right in the centre of a small table, careful not to disrupt his master nor Miss Nina, quite impressed by the woman's tenacity. She had responded to the house call immediately which suited them just fine; the Queen's invitation had arrived early and gave little time for preparations after all.

'But you know, Earl Phantomhive, you should be more particular about increasing the number of your attires, especially now since you're engaged.'

'I've been engaged before,' Ciel delivered another short reply.

'Yes, to Lady Midford. But now you are engaged to Lady Alice Arrington whose invitations to social events are by far, more numerous than those of your cousin's. You are aware of that, I presume,' Nina reminded him, pulling out a pouch of pins from her tailoring suitcase and beginning to pin down folds directly on the earl's coat cuffs.

Ciel frowned, not liking the implications.

'She is also at an age where she is supposed to make an appearance and interact with everyone.'

'It's not my business to accompany her to these useless events. I have more important matters to invest my energy into,' Ciel thundered.

'My, what a thing to say, Earl! It is your obligation as a future husband to accompany Lady Arrington,' Nina reminded Ciel. He looked down at her, wondering how on earth that woman managed to work and hold pins between her lips at the same time without swallowing any of them. He favoured his analytical gaze over a reply fact which did not go unnoticed by Nina. She finally adjusted the last pin and went over to her suitcase to take out various samples of fabric.

'You don't seem very pleased with this engagement. I dare say you should at least try to appear happier about it, Lady Arrington is one of the best arrangements in the entire city, my dear Earl,' Nina explained, draping each ribbon of fabric on Ciel's shoulder to see which one matched his complexion best. 'She is a proper lady down to her very last bone. It goes without saying that she is highly elegant and cultivated. Her manners are absolutely impeccable.'

 _Quite debatable_ , Ciel disagreed mutely, remembering the girl's outburst during her last visit to his home.

'Her needlework is simply exquisite, I've seen it myself,' Nina continued.

 _Yes, that always comes in handy_ , the young Earl ironically thought.

'And she dances like an angel!'

 _Don't they all?_ Ciel wondered, already satiated with how women insisted on exaggerating with everything. He could care less if she danced like an astral being or stumbled like a dumb goose.

'Not to mention she is just so incredibly pretty,' Nina declared, sneaking a glance at the Earl.

At that Ciel remained silent, both out loud and in the secrecy of his own mind, finding it unable to deny it. It was a harmful statement which he uncharacteristically let slide.

'Although…' Nina trailed off, trying to pick between a Byzantium purple or cerulean blue.

'Although?' Ciel repeated, visibly interested. Sebastian himself came closer to his master, posting himself in the vicinity of his sight.

'There are some bad rumours circulating about her. Something about being involved in the affairs of men and even participating in missions directly ordered by Queen Victoria herself,' Nina revealed, her voice suddenly lowering in intensity. 'That is slightly frightening, don't you think so? I can't possibly imagine someone as graceful as Lady Alice Arrington doing something so dangerous.'

Ciel, on the other hand, could picture it very well. She was her father's daughter after all and her reactions during her visit had been genuine of a woman who did more than take music lessons and participate in tea parties. Sebastian's small smile attested he too had read that girl for who she was but Ciel still had to ascertain if her real behaviour actually made matters more complicated than he had originally planned out. For that, he would have to observe Alice more.

'Speaking of rumours,' Ciel chose another discussion topic, 'I heard the Queen is inviting many unusual guests. One of them is a certain Mr. Benjamin Sarrow. I personally haven't heard anything about this man. Have you?' The dark-haired count asked Nina innocently.

Nina took a few seconds to consider, the name finally ringing up a bell.

'Ah! He is that wealthy trader, isn't he?'

 _Fancy word for a smuggler, but I suppose not everyone is aware of his bad habits_ , Ciel corrected her internally.

'Hmm, so he's a trader then? How very interesting,' Ciel remarked. 'But still, it's strange for someone such as himself to be invited to this type of event. He's not much around London either.'

'Perhaps he's looking for new trading prospects?' Nina suggested, already wrapping up her things and clearly satisfied with the work she had accomplished for that particular afternoon judging by her improved mood.

'Perhaps,' Ciel agreed. 'I was hoping there would be some unusual rumours about him as well.'

'Well, if it's rumours you're interested in Earl, I suggest looking elsewhere. A respectable tailor such as myself does not accommodate such habits,' Nina informed, fooling absolutely no one in the room. Even so, Ciel let the subject fade, sensing there was nothing else to pry out of that particular woman. Packing her things, Nina requested Mey-Rin for her hat which the maid somehow managed to bring over without tripping on her two feet.

'Well, I'm off now. I'll have your finished suit delivered tomorrow evening, Earl.'

'Thank you, Nina. I appreciate your help,' Ciel said, nodding to Mey-Rin to accompany her to her carriage.

'Ms. Nina is quite resourceful, isn't she?' Sebastian inquired his master, helping him come down from the chair. He then proceeded to dress him back in his previous vest, buttoning it up to his chest.

'Seamstresses usually are. What better spies to find than under the roof of many gathering gossiping ladies?' He insinuated about the perks of her occupation.

'And yet, she did not provide us with much information regarding Mr. Sparrow.'

'Unfortunately,' the boy narrowed his eyes in contemplation. 'Why is he back in London? What are his intentions? And most importantly, what is it that he wants to smuggle out?'

'Whatever it is, the Queen wishes to be informed.'

'It must be because she either has a hunch about what the object could be or better yet, she might be worried about the implications of such a theft.'

'In that case, it was quite wise of Her Majesty's part to organize this ball. It gives us the perfect opportunity to investigate,' Sebastian added.

'Correct. You've replied to confirm our attendance, haven't you?'

'But of course, Young Master,' Sebastian affirmed, a quick smirk morphing on his lips. 'The Arringtons have also confirmed their attendance.'

Ciel blinked his eyes confused by the information. 'And how would you know that?'

'Well, you see, Young Master, Lady Vanessa Arrington and I have kept in touch. She more than I though, for she has sent a maid to the estate this morning to inform us they will be attending and they were also hoping to see you there as well.'

'The nerve of that woman,' Ciel complained, flopping down in a chair. 'This meddling of hers might become a problem,' he reflected, thinking back on how subtly pushing Alice's mother was. 'Oi, make sure you keep her at a distance. I don't need additional worries.'

'Yes, Young Master.'

Ciel was not specifically surprised about them joining the ball. In fact, their invitation had probably been sent out first, long before his and as long as Alice would mind her own business and not do any unnecessary feats, everything would go according to plan. Nothing could go wrong, Ciel already thought of how to approach Benjamin Sarrow. So then, why was it that he continuously grasped at his hands, unable to relax his shoulders? Why was it that he had this unmistakable sense of foreboding?

Ciel sighed as he closed his eyes to try and regain control of his senses. It was that woman's fault. Alice. She was the one that could possibly overthrow everything, something inside his head whispered that poisonous conviction. She was not one to behave but not one to make a scene either. But he knew for a fact that if he placed her to stand somewhere, she would not yield, on the contrary, she would do the opposite.

Luckily for him, Ciel had Sebastian and no matter who stood in his way, his butler would always clear off his path.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for taking time to comment! Also, my gratitude to those who followed and added this story to their favourites! 3

 **Arces:** So glad you commented again, thank you! I know what you mean, trust me! It's going to take a while before Alice finds out about Ciel's true nature, I plan on revealing it to her gradually but little by little, she is going to notice some things are not as they seem. I need to work on their bond first and carefully plan their interactions because I want everything to flow naturally. Hope to see you here next time! 3

 **lizyeh2000:** And thank you for commenting! I understand the issue with the age gap but apparently, it's pretty much accurate. Boys at that age were considered mature enough to handle their own estate and start a family apparently. I don't plan to focus on this aspect severely but I do want to make it more like an adventure that brings these two people tightly together. Thank you again! :*

 **BornABurra** : Hello again! To tell you the truth I was a bit disappointed by the lack of reaction for this fanfiction because I really thought it would be an interesting plot and time period to write about but it seems not many people like it. Which is why I was about to stop updating and not even write this third chapter anymore however I read your lengthy wonderful review and I realized I couldn't give up that easily. So this chapter is for you! This whole story will be a challenge for Ciel and also Alice. They come from the same world and yet the things they want are extremely different. They both have this pride that manifests in how they view each other – all figured out- but the circumstances that I will construct around them will make them doubt their initial impressions. Ciel plans on using Alice and discarding her when he's done, just as accurately as he did with so many people before her but he's going to be in for a surprise; Alice's maturity and experience will play a part in how this game will unfold, even if at times, she might act even more childish than Ciel. Well, someone has to in this relationship XD. Thank you so much again for your wonderful support.^^


	4. Too many lumps of sugar

**Chapter 4: Too many lumps of sugar**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the Kuroshitsuji manga.

* * *

Queen Victoria's parties had always been sumptuous and Alice knew that all too well. Even if the Queen had isolated herself after King Albert's death and had refrained from making frequent public appearances, she did however indulge in this aspect of social London for the good of the people. She rarely attended her own parties and instead sent out her trustworthy advisers to keep an eye on the events, habit which did not alter, not even for this particular ball.

When Alice arrived accompanied by her parents, her first action had been that of looking around the room in search for the Queen yet just as expected, there was no trace of Her Majesty. There were, however, two of her iconic private secretaries walking around the room speaking with guests, namely Charles Grey and Charles Phipps whom she was fairly-acquainted with. After all, they had been her father's apprentices in the past and had spent considerable time together when they were little. Truth be told, it was mostly the two boys and her sister Jane; Alice always tagged along enduring teases and never being treated with the demanded appreciation since she was the youngest. As they grew older and Jane's death struck them all, matters had slightly changed but not enough to spare her of their harmless ridicule, especially from Grey's part. They eventually made their way towards Alice and her family, the two men's priority being her father.

'Count Arrington, it's a pleasure to see you again. Welcome to Queen Victoria's party,' Charles Grey greeted, taking a short bow in front of his previous teacher. 'Countess, Alice,' he shifted his attention to the ladies, treating them with the same courtesy. Charles Phipps also bowed respectfully, hand solemnly pressed to his chest.

'We offer Her Majesty our gratitude for the invitation. I see the Queen has chosen to remain absent at this event as well,' Daniel remarked.

'Her Majesty apologizes for the nonattendance and hopes you will all be able to enjoy yourselves even with the lack of her presence,' Phipps explained in further detail, his eyes skillfully scanning across the ball room for any potentially upcoming disturbances.

'Well, a party is a party and I plan to do exactly that,' Daniel chuckled, suddenly in the mood to socialize. At his arm, his lovely wife drew his notice.

'Darling,' Vanessa spoke, 'the Count of Oxford has just arrived. We should go say hello, you did mention wanting to speak with him earlier this morning.'

'You're absolutely right, we have to seize the chance while we still have it. Grey, Phipps, I'm leaving my daughter in your care for the time being,' Daniel instructed his former pupils, already making his way towards the aforementioned count, Vanessa tagging along as well.

The three of them watched the older couple advance towards another part of the room, all the while keeping their silence. When said silence was broken, Grey had been the culprit.

'You look ...well-put, tonight,' Charles Grey told Alice in an attempt to compliment her.

'Don't I always?' Alice said back, half-expecting that type of retort from his part. For whatever reason, Grey always avoided saying nice things about her and while she did get used to it after all these years, Alice felt the need to verbally punish him for his rudeness whenever she got the chance.

'Yes, you were always good at picking out dresses. One of your most useless qualities, I might say,' he continued the offense.

'I thought you were the one who said women should know how to comport themselves in society, starting from their attire down to their very own manner of speaking.'

'Yes, women. I have difficulties considering you one,' Grey said, referring to her recklessness and cold, male reasoning.

Alice resisted the ludicrous urge to click her tongue at him and possibly smack him with her decorative pouch and went with the more conventional habit of glaring at the man. Between them, Phipps had already positioned his defense, trying to settle the two of them down.

'Now, now you two. Be aware of your surroundings, will you?' The taller Charles advised.

'I suppose you're right,' Alice agreed. 'Let's cut the small talk and point me in the direction of Benjamin Sarrow, please.'

'You're that eager to pounce on him? I wanted us to talk more, after all, we haven't spoken in a while. Your engagement to Ciel Phantomhive for example,' Grey mentioned mischievously. 'I haven't had the chance to congratulate you yet.'

'Quite so. And you said no man would ever accept my hand in marriage,' she reminded him of his past crudities.

'I'll believe it after the wedding ceremony is completed,' Grey declared in a pompous manner, not entirely convinced by the Earl's courage to actually marry Alice.

'Oh my, I never thought your jealousy would be so transparent,' Alice teased, a laugh escaping her lips.

'Jealousy!?' Grey exploded, aggravated beyond reason by the implication. 'It was Jane I was in love with, not you. Why would I even consider such feelings?'

It was only when he saw her smile retreat into a dissolved line on her face that Grey realized the blunder he had done. He was a master at sword handling and close-range combat with astute mind and senses, yet never sensible enough to obstruct most of his thoughts delivered in such harsh words. He simply could not help it. Whenever he met Alice he would be reminded of Jane and of her death and of how useless he had been at preventing it. Each time, unmistakably, Grey would take his frustration out on Alice despite hating himself for it immediately after and wishing he could cut out his tongue instead of seeing her revert to that little helpless girl who always followed them around when they were children. He had been nice to Jane and horrible to Alice and now that things had changed, he knew of no other way to connect with Alice than tease her. Torment her. Make her remember that while Jane was gone, the relationship between the three of them did not break. And yet he failed to express it properly once again.

'I have crossed the line, I apologize,' Grey finally said, avoiding Phipps' scolding glare.

'No need for apologies, I have always been perfectly aware of your feelings towards my sister,' Alice replied, mustering bravery in her tone. 'Since I have cared deeply about her, I can understand your feelings up to the point where I trust it would have been better if I had died in her place,' she confessed, thinking of her parents, of Jane's many loyal friends and of her sister's greatness as a person. Her meditation time had been cut short by Grey's sudden hold on her arms, fingers digging in the silk of her red dress. Her head snapped in his direction, eyes locking with his, witness to his array of feelings revealed one by one before her. His tone, too, matched the desperation behind his eyelashes.

'I loved your sister,' he pressed, 'I still do. But I have never, not even once, thought of any harm befalling you Alice. Do you understand that? Can you believe my words?'

She nodded her head instinctively, taken aback by his reaction. Alice had never seen him that angry and hurt and she had realized that she was one to blame for his turmoil since her mouth did not have a lock either.

'It seems I have crossed the line as well,' she admitted. 'I'm sorry.'

They remained quiet for a few seconds, listening to the royal orchestra as they masterfully played the latest musical creations, urging the men to invite their lovely female companions to a dance.

'As for your engagement to Phantomhive,' Grey began, 'I am against it. I don't like that boy,' he said.

'Then you know who to complain to,' Alice replied.

'He already did,' Phipps said in Grey's place, issuing a hopeful expression on Alice's face.

'And?'

Grey continued to hang on to his silence, thus providing Alice with her reply.

'Her Majesty's will is absolute.'

'Yes,' he confirmed her words.

'I find it absolutely incredible how the three of us can't have a normal conversation,' Phipps sighed, already fed up with the war between Grey and Alice. 'Look there, Alice,' he pointed at a man dressed in a brown suit talking to an older woman, 'that man next to Lady Bernard is our target.'

'Benjamin Sarrow,' she whispered, her feet already leading her to where he was.

'Don't do anything stupid,' Grey called out after her.

'Too late for that, I already started my evening talking to the two of you,' she said.

As she waltzed over to Benjamin Sarrow and Lady Bernard, Alice could not help but notice the man looked terribly uncomfortable in the other woman's company. Truth be told, almost anyone would be troubled by Lady Bernard's choices of conversation giving the fact that they frequently included daft stories about her two loud Pekinese dogs and their eating habits. She made her way to them beaming a large smile and Alice could swear she saw a look of relief on the targeted man's face.

'Lady Bernard, what a pleasure to see you here tonight,' Alice chanted sweetly, positioning herself between the two of them. Lady Bernard's face lit up at her arrival, probably well-disposed at the possibility of having one more member added to her audience.

'Likewise, Lady Arrington. I was just telling Mr. Sarrow here that Poupa and Pipi have finally settled on a favorite sleeping chair and mind you, they're even happy to share it among themselves.'

 _Ah. So the conversation was not about eating preferences but about sleeping arrangements_ , Alice concluded, having heard countless stories of the lady's two canine pests before.

'What joyous news,' Alice forced herself to look interested. 'You must be so proud.'

'Oh, you have no idea!' The woman exclaimed, hands grasped together in maternal fulfillment. 'I am absolutely thrilled!'

'I am not surprised.' No really, Alice wasn't. Her three sons did not bother with Lady Bernard at all after marriage nor did her husband particularly opt to remain in the intimacy of their home for too long and the poor woman had been forced to shower her love elsewhere and while other ladies found comfort in the arms of another man, Alice congratulated her for choosing the safer route. 'But I apologize, I have interrupted your conversation. Who is your lovely partner, Lady Bernard?'

'Oh, no worries, my dear. This here is Mister Benjamin Sarrow, he has recently returned from Germany,' Lady Bernard provided the already acquired information. In return, Sarrow bowed his head, taking the time to introduce himself on his own.

'Benjamin Sarrow, at your service My Lady.'

'It is very nice to make your acquaintance, Mr. Sarrow. My name is Alice Arrington,' she said, offering a gloved hand which he ceremoniously took. As such, she reserved a second to inspect his face, his features appearing somewhat familiar. She never forgot a face, her mind busy trying to remember. He was tall, stern-looking and with eyes so black you could not spot any light in them. Somehow, she felt she thought the same about someone not long ago. Someone whom she briefly saw, in a closed space, engulfed in the aroma of sweets. Yes. At the bakery. He was at Margret's bakery wasn't he? Oh how close to her he had been and she did not even know. Quite a pity, it would have been the perfect opportunity to talk to him freely, without the disadvantage of any curious lurkers.

'Might you be related to Earl Daniel Arrington, My Lady?' Sarrow inquired, his eyes searching suspiciously around the ballroom. Having picked up on that, Alice softly touched his arm with her fan in a sign of trust.

'Actually, he is my father,' Alice provided. 'He is here tonight as well but he is terribly busy with his courtesy talks, you know how that is.'

'Yes, I suppose so,' the man agreed, a bit more relaxed. With a bit of luck, he could go unnoticed by the Queen's main adviser. From the group of people Sarrow had to avoid, Arrington was clearly one of them, fact which Alice had also just intuited. He was weary of her father and with good reason too, the man's plans could get overturned if her father got involved. Too bad Sarrow did not know the daughter already got involved. Taking a deep breath, Alice molded her voice into the most adorable pitch she could come up with. Apparently, men let their guard down when they realized the woman at their arm was innocent and downright disconnected from the world of men.

'But let's not talk about my father! I believe Lady Bernard mentioned you have just returned from Germany? That is absolutely wonderful, I've never visited! Is it truly that picturesque as they say?'

Visibly overwhelmed by the girl's enthusiasm, Sarrow instinctively took a step back, musing that perhaps there were other things to be afraid of at this ball than his intentions being discovered. To his disdain, Lady Bernard's eyes also sparkled with curiosity at the prospect of his expectantly-detailed stories of Germany.

'Ah, yes. It's quite nice and...green,' he said, in lack of better words.

'And how about the ladies? Are they fashionable?' Lady Bernard expressed her interest. 'I expect not from those goiter-necked women!'

Sarrow hardly paid any attention to fashion. In fact, it all looked the same to him and while he did not share the same prejudiced views as his countrymen, he considered it wise to be in agreement with his female companions.

'To tell you the truth Lady Bernard, there are no prettier nor graceful nor elegant ladies than the ones you find in England,' Sarrow said pleased with himself for concocting the perfect diplomatic answer. He was allowed the flounder since Lady Bernard's face gleamed with pride and Lady Arrington smiled shyly behind her fan, for different reasons than those he imagined though. The man was not considered crafty for nothing, Alice thought to herself.

'Oh, you're such a gentleman Mister Sarrow,' Lady Bernard teased.

'Quite a lovely thing for you to say, sir,' Alice joined in yet hardly interested in the subject at hand. 'That's why I can't imagine why you ever decided to leave England,' she presented the bait, batting her eyelashes conspicuously at Lady Bernard.

'Well, it was for better prospects of business,' Sarrow delivered the already-prepared reply.

'And then, why did you return? Were the prospects not that auspicious, perhaps?' She persisted with her attack on the opposite front. Unfortunately, her enemy was not that eager to surrender.

'More or less.'

Alice abstained from frowning at the vague retort, trying to think of a better way to solicit the wanted information. She had to ask him in such a way she would not illicit any suspicion.

'And how do you find London after your return? Anything of particular interest caught your eye?'

'Perchance a new property? Our latest jewelry collection? Speaking of, have you seen the new necklaces that were recently crafted at that downtown shop, Alice?' Lady Bernard asked, unknowingly contributing to Sarrow's interrogation.

The man, on the other hand, did not seem to notice he was being questioned with a certain purpose in mind and his features remained quite relaxed as he replied one inquiry at a time.

'I'm afraid not, My Lady. As of late, I am inclined to focus on the spiritual more than on the materialistic aspect of life.'

Alice was not frowning anymore. Instead, on her face, the realization of a fact was as clear as daylight; Sarrow had not returned for an object. It was most likely a piece of information he was after and if that were really so, it made matters a lot more complicated for Alice. Information was harder to track than objects. And harder to extract. She was about to launch another round of questions when she noticed someone approaching their group at a very determined pace. As soon as she laid eyes on him, Alice's frown returned.

* * *

Ciel and Sebastian had arrived earlier, just in time to see the Arringtons step into the receiving hall and afterwards be greeted by Double Charles. As expected, their ties with the Queen were of unquestionable substance as they were greeted by the royal reception with such formality and at the same time, informality.

'Your fiancé and her family have arrived, My Lord,' Sebastian signaled the already-noticed fact.

Ciel's gaze fell on Alice unwillingly and had immediately given up on scolding Sebastian for addressing her in that manner. But then again, how exactly was his butler to address her? That was who she was, wasn't she? His fiancé. Fiancé, he repeated the word. What an intimate word for a stranger. Ciel realized that if there were no goals of revenge to achieve and no demon butler at his side, he would have actually had to marry that woman. He would have had to get to know her and try to cherish her despite finding no real joy in the prospect of marriage. Would he be any different in his behaviour towards her, he wondered. Would he make an effort? He somehow doubted it and it currently did not matter.

'Indeed they have,' Ciel replied. 'Make sure you keep your eyes open for Sarrow, he's our priority tonight.'

'Yes, My Lord,' Sebastian responded, trying to spot the man. He already knew how he looked as he had arrived earlier and saw him present himself at the entrance yet as his master also made his appearance, Sarrow was currently out of sight. Ciel, too, maintained an alert state. He wished to get this over with as quickly as possible before he would be anchored into small talk with the present counts and dukes. Looking back at the Arringtons, it seemed the count and countess had already dived into the crowd, greeting various social figures while Alice had stayed behind with the Charles. His vantage point was not that practical and there was not much for him to neither see, nor understand the nature of their conversation but he did deduce they were close, especially by how comfortable the girl had appeared to be as Charles Phipps leaned over her shoulder to whisper something in her ear. That was beyond indecent!

He shook his head, disappointed by how quick he was to look at her again when he had other matters to attend to. But this time she left the presence of Grey and Phipps and had walked over to another part of the ball room. Ciel was aware that Alice was pretty, her face was awfully satisfying to look at but up till then, he had not registered the effect she had on others. All the men she passed by had turned their head in her direction, women burning holes in her image with their envious glares. She was exceptionally charming that evening, hair freed in a fountain of curls, various ornaments glistening among the strands and matching the delicate red sheen of her gown. And yet, despite it all, no man dared come near her. Ciel had experienced it too; that icy wall she built around herself and haughty piercing look that said only she was to approach, never to be approached.

Alice finally stopped in front of Lady Bernard and a man he did not recognize. At his side, Sebastian too had noticed Alice's route and had bent to his master's height to whisper:

'Young Master. That man whom Lady Alice is speaking to, that is Benjamin Sarrow.'

Ciel's eyebrows rose, amazed at the coincidence.

'Heeeh, is that so?' _We're not even married yet and you're already clawing at my belongings, aren't you Alice?_

Out of all the people to see talking with his target he expected Alice to be the last of them. He wondered if they knew each other through some unusual circumstances but his assumptions were canceled as soon as he saw the man introduce himself to her. It was a coincidence after all.

'What do you advise we do, Young Master? It might be a bit difficult to draw near Mister Sarrow at this rate.'

'What are you talking about, Sebastian?' Ciel inquired, an enigmatic glint in his eyes. 'What better motive to join their little group than on the pretense of greeting my wife-to-be?'

Sebastian's eyes widened at the sudden realization internally congratulating his master for his shrewdness.

'Splendidly said, Young Master,' his butler acknowledged, following his master close by.

'I told you that woman will prove out to be useful, didn't I?'

And without a second to spare, Ciel walked right into their conversation.

* * *

'What a lovely evening we're having tonight, Her Majesty is spoiling us far too much,' Ciel greeted, posting himself between Alice and Benjamin Sarrow. 'Lady Bernard, I hope I am finding you in good health,' he addressed the lady and finally glanced over to the younger woman. 'Alice,' he said simply.

'Count,' she matched his tone, displeasure vibrating throughout her entire being.

'My, Earl Phantomhive, you're as polite as ever! My health is iron-like, I tell you. God has graced me with strong blood,' Lady Bernard replied, delighted by Ciel's presence. She had quite the affinity for Earl Phantomhive as he was always the ideal nobleman, despite his age. A miniature gentleman, as she used to say.

'I am glad to hear that. And your dogs?' He pressed on with the conversation.

'Oh, so nice of you to ask! They're as cheerful as ever, thank you.´

'Lovely,' Ciel agreed. With his opening speech out of the way he was now free to address his target. 'I apologize,' Ciel said turning to Sarrow, 'I haven't introduced myself. I am Earl Ciel Phantomhive, owner of Funtom corporation.'

Sarrow's mouth opened in wonder, recognizing the name and shaking the small hand that was offered to him. 'As in the toy factory famous throughout Europe? What an honor! I am thoroughly pleased to make your acquaintance, Earl Phantomhive. My name is Benjamin Sarrow, a humble trader by occupation.'

'Please, Mr. Sarrow, there is nothing humble about trading. It is because people of your craft exist that British products are made known in the entire world.'

'Thank you,' Sarrow said, 'I accept your praise, Earl. And the gentleman behind you?' Sarrow indicated Sebastian.

'Ah, this is Mister Black. He is a businessman I have invited with me tonight to help broaden his horizons,' Ciel replied, perfectly aware that personal servants were not allowed to escort their masters in the palace. Alice puffed in her fan, amazed by the boy's audacity.

'You brought a servant over to the party? Are you that much of a snob that you need to be attended every second of the day?' Alice whispered to Ciel, leaning over to him enough to make sure others would not hear.

'In case there are inconveniences around, it pays off to have one,' Ciel replied with a serene expression on his face, hinting at her possibly becoming an inconvenience.

'I've never seen such rudeness!' She raised her whisper intensity, 'What are you even doing here? Isn't it past your bed time?' Alice continued to attack him, disliking his ability to divert her retorts.

'I was invited,' he stressed. 'And if this is your idea of making my life a living hell then it is my duty to inform you that you are failing miserably.'

They had to put a stop to their verbal assaults as both Benjamin Sarrow and Lady Bernard were eyeing them oddly. Becoming conscious of the reason, Ciel abandoned Alice's front to step into another.

'Ah, we are very sorry Mister Sarrow, we kept talking between the two of us,' Ciel apologized. 'You might not be informed but Lady Alice and I are engaged and are to marry next year.'

'Is that true?' The man inquired, staring at Alice with unbelieving eyes. When she confirmed, he looked back at Ciel and then back at Alice and decided that stranger things have happened. And then again, he could see why their union was formed. They were both young, rich and highly intelligent and whenever they looked at each other there was a palpable sense of competition that could only sprout interesting ties between them. Sarrow was about to congratulate the couple when a commotion of canine nature called off his intention.

'Poupa! Pipi!' Lady Bernard cried out as a servant came in with her two hyperactive Pekinese children. He ceremoniously handed her their leashes, sweat rolling off his forehead. 'They were really restless, My Lady,' he said defeated.

'My darlings! My sweet babies!' The Lady chanted in affection, looking down at the dogs as they jumped around in circles, unsuccessfully trying to climb on top of her crinoline dress.

'You brought them with you?' Alice drew back a safe step.

'I never leave my house without them!' She answered, hands outstretched to the two pets.

'Young Master, now is our chance.' Sebastian urged. Unable to take his eyes off the spectacle unfolding before him as the dogs ran around in circles issuing small shrieks from the ladies and disgusting the unforgiving gentlemen, Ciel came to understand that they could take advantage of the commotion. His hand tapped on Benjamin Sarrow's arm, calling for his attention.

'I believe we'd best move to the terrace for fresh air and well...peace and quiet.'

'I agree, Earl,' Sarrow nodded, not entirely sure how to act around pets, especially around Lady Bernard's agitated dogs. He excused himself from the ladies' company and followed the earl and Mr. Black out on the balcony trusting that a child's presence, earl as he was, could not put him in grave danger.

Alice watched helplessly as the three men departed, unable to go after them as Lady Bernard's darlings circled her like she was some sort of meal to be presented before them. Their leashes entwined in her dress and Lady Bernard's assistance had been necessary to prevent her from falling flat on her face. She grabbed the plump arms of the other woman somehow keeping her balance under control and her temper in check.

'I have no idea what has gotten into them! Could it be a new perfume that you're wearing, Alice dear?' Lady Bernard questioned, herself overwhelmed by the situation.

'I highly doubt it,' she replied, having indeed changed her perfume but hating to admit the woman was right. She eventually managed to calm down the mutts by taking one of them into her arms and grabbing a better hold of the other's leash. Alice cursed at the horrible timing, frustrated by how quickly Ciel had been to act. Why he was so interested in Sarrow, she could not understand but perhaps he did it on purpose to annoy her and if that were the case, two could play that game. Keeping her head held high, Alice followed Ciel's tracks towards the balcony, steadying the grip on Pouppa and pulling Pipi's leash with her.

´Come along, Pouppa,' Alice instructed the dog at her feet.

´That is actually Pipi, my dear,' Lady Bernard informed Alice as she went after them, not entirely sure she liked leaving her two darlings in the girl's care.

´It matters not,' Count Arrington's daughter shamelessly said, marching right outside onto the terrace. ´There you are!´ She exclaimed, laying eyes on Ciel, his butler and most importantly, Benjamin Sarrow. ´My fiancé is very sensible leaving these adorable darlings with me,´ Alice began taking the other one in her hand, ´however, he is secretly very fond of dogs and I absolutely could not rob him of this pleasure,´ she continued, dumping both dogs in Ciel's unprepared arms. ´You know how children are around pets, don't you Mister Sarrow?´

´Yes…´ the man answered slightly confused, unaware of what was truly going on. Next thing he knew, Alice's own arm was latched onto his, dragging him away from the terrace.

´Don't worry Earl, I will keep Mister Sarrow company. You just play with the dogs to your heart's content,´ Alice told Ciel, satisfied to see him struggling to control the dogs with his tiny little frame. ´Now come Mister Sarrow, you owe me a dance.´

´Do…I?´ He questioned even more lost in the chaos but following the girl nonetheless.

Ciel watched with utmost irritation as Sarrow got away from him, dogs nibbling at his coat playfully.

´What are you waiting for, you fool!? Get them off me!´ He ordered Sebastian, annoyed for having to point it out to him in the first place.

His butler pressed his lips together in distaste, not liking the idea.

´Must I really, Young Master? I'm more of a cat person.´

´Sebastian!´ Ciel repeated, this time adding volume to his tone.

´Very well,´ Sebastian finally yielded and with a sigh, he removed the offending canine creatures from his master's arms. The dogs stopped in their display of affection to whimper at the butler's handling, mostly sensing his demonic aura. Alarmed by her pets' discomfort, Lady Bernard hurried to snatch her dogs away from Sebastian, accusatory eyes burning holes into him.

´I'll be taking them, Mister Black! And now if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving,´ the older woman announced with a hmph! and left them to their own.

´At least she's out of the picture now. Can't say the same about Alice unfortunately,´ Ciel murmured as he patted his suit straight. ´I swear that woman is inconveniencing me intentionally!´

´In her defense Young Master,´ Sebastian said, hands arranging the young earl's tie, ´she does not know that the Queen has ordered you to keep an eye on Mister Sarrow.´

´And I intend to keep it that way,´ Ciel stated, not wishing to attract anymore of Alice's unwanted meddling. ´But something must be done,´ he decided, looking around the ballroom for something or someone to save him. Miraculously, his features finally settled in a grin. ´And I believe I've just found my answer.´

* * *

 **A/N:** Another chapter done! It's really entertaining for me to see Alice and Ciel unknowingly competing against each other and bickering about it in the process. Please do leave a comment/review, it's what keeps me going to post new chapters! Thank you.

For my reviewers:

 **lizyeh2000:** And thank you so much for commenting! Yes, Ciel is counting on Sebastian, he is the only one who he can count on unfortunately. Since Ciel has trust issues, it will take a whole lot of effort to make him start want relying on someone else. But we'll see how it all goes. Take care and hopefully see you next time!

 **FleurSuoh:** Thank you so much and welcome to my fanfiction! I'm glad you like the idea, there are also not many readers who accept the idea of Ciel having any other feelings for someone other than Sebastian so thank you for giving it a try and reviewing! ^^

 **Diamond-Grl45:** Thank you for your review and for noticing so many things about the chapter! I like to incorporate details from the anime to make the story seem more real and organic. I don't know if Alice is necessarily a queen but on the chess board she is certainly not only a pawn and I'm happy you see her for the character she really is. I am steadily building her character around Ciel and she will start seeing that she can easily be herself around him since he does not care for appearances and all that interests him is someone who can be a challenge. I haven't seen that ova you mentioned but I'll give it a go, thank you for the thought! And yes, I had to incorporate the Charles, they play a big role in the story so I'm glad someone will be really happy about their cameo in this chapter *wink Please let me know what you thought. :D


	5. First, let the water boil

**Chapter 5: First, let the water boil**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Kuroshitsuji nor do I have any rights over it.

* * *

Alice noted that Benjamin Sarrow was a wonderful dancer. She had confidence in her skills but somehow, the man overwhelmed her at the elegance chapter which was rather embarrassing if she were to be truthful. His feet moved with ease gently pulling her along in his own rhythm, swaying and turning at perfect angles. He must have been quite the heart-breaker in his younger age, seducing naive ladies with his ravishing talent.

She shook away his charm and focused on her mission.

'I hope you will not think too harshly of Earl Phantomhive for pulling you into conversation despite how boring it is to converse with children,' Alice apologized in attempt to find out what they talked about on the terrace.

'No apologies needed, Lady Arrington,' Sarrow said, 'On the contrary, Earl Phantomhive is quite the delightful company. He may be a child yet but his mind is already up to the standards of an adult.'

'Is that so?' She asked innocently, having noticed that as well. In her case, it would have been better for her if he did behave like a child and listen to the grown-ups as one should.

'Why, yes! We were discussing trading opportunities from Africa, actually! A friend of mine went there recently and decided that while means of transport are an issue, there are plenty of products to be exported and the Earl agrees as well. We established the fact that progress it to be made at the cost of expeditions into the unknown.'

Alice listened carefully, trying to pick up anything that might give off a clue to what Sarrow was after, begrudgingly thanking Ciel for approaching that subject. Could it be a new and more approachable route into African territory the information he coveted? But if that were so, he would not really dive into this subject that unguarded, now would he? He swung her one more time, Alice coming face to face with him once again.

'I see. I'm afraid I am not very informed in that regard so I would not know what products would be beneficial to import.'

Her confession seemed to spark up even more enthusiasm in Sarrow.

'Plenty, Lady Arrington. For example, sugar, tobacco, wood and these are only a few. As you can imagine, discovering a new source for these products is particularly profitable and a good investment for the future.'

 _Even if that presupposes exploiting other people for their lands and goods_ , Alice added mentally. Visionaries did not like to be challenged with the consequences of their actions reason why Alice decided to keep quiet in the matter despite harbouring slightly different opinions.

'Quite so,' she went with the safer reply. 'I'm sure there are many gentlemen who happen to share your thoughts,' Alice threw in another bait.

'There are a few,' he tilted his head, as if thinking about which names to mention. Alice's ears became attentive, hopeful she could finally make some progress in her interrogation when she spotted the one person who could put an end to everything. That one person who always brought shivers down her spine. Her mother.

Alice's face became paler and paler as Vanessa Arrington advanced towards her and Mister Sarrow with a poised but determined step. Next to her, the traitor Ciel Phantomhive matched the woman's pace, satisfaction detectable all over his face. With a deceivingly sweet voice, Vanessa cut off the dance.

'You brash, indecent girl,' she told her daughter, showing a perfect row of pearly whites. 'Why is it that you are dancing with a man with whom you haven't been properly introduced to?'

Alice tried her best to stand her ground, realizing that her mother's addition to this scene could make her lose Sarrow forever, especially under the tremendous pressure she was putting them all under.

'You have been misinformed, Mother,' she replied, glaring viciously at Ciel and his accompanying butler. 'Lady Bernard has introduced us moments ago.'

'Is that so?' She asked, looking around the room for Lady Bernard, almost tempted to give her a good scolding as well.

'Yes. This here is Mister Benjamin Sarrow, a trader personally invited by Her Majesty to attend the party tonight,' Alice continued, hoping to smooth over the situation.

'Delighted,' Vanessa delivered, showing no interest in introducing herself nor any sign that she was actually pleased to make the man's acquaintance. 'If you, sir, wished to dance with my daughter then you should have asked permission from the husband first,' Vanessa informed a little bit too harshly. At a loss for excuses, Sarrow somehow managed to form a retort.

'I apologize, My Lady. I am not thoroughly versed in court etiquette,' the man offered, looking over to the husband apologetically, namely the Phantomhive earl whom he sensed was actually finding all of this amusing beyond reason.

'Well, clearly!' Vanessa agreed.

'Mother,' Alice tried to interfere once more, 'I am not married to the Earl yet, there's no need to ask for his permission.' Her mother exaggerated intentionally playing that scheming boy's game who had clearly found the best way to exclude her from his playtime.

'In that case, permission should have been granted by the father, namely Earl Arrington,' Vanessa changed her statement to suit her. 'My daughter is not someone whom you can address so lightly, unless you have marriage intentions of course!'

'Madam, I would never,' Sarrow hurried to add, flustered and helpless. This had started out as such a nice evening but ever since Lady Alice had approached him, matters reached complicated levels. That young woman was dangerous and her mother, even more so.

'Good,' Vanessa said only to immediately shoot a direct question at Sarrow. 'Yet what was it that you would never? Perhaps you would never consider marrying my daughter?' She questioned, coming to that realization all by herself. 'What is wrong with my daughter? Is she not worthy of your standards?' The countess raised her voice, her high pitch weakening Sarrow's tolerance by the second. There seemed to be no answer to satisfy that woman.

'Mother, please stop this. Mister Sarrow is absolutely innocent, it was I who invited him to dance,' Alice finally admitted, fed up with the excessive fuss.

And that was all it took for Vanessa Arrington to close her mouth. For the moment, at least. She ceased eyeing Sarrow, gracing her daughter instead. Alice gulped down the knot in her throat without any success. It was as if Vanessa was seeing her daughter for the first time. It was as if she was staring at a preposterous insect that dared climb her dress in ignorance.

'You did what?!' She cried out, gripping Alice's arm with painful intent. 'Are you out of your mind? A woman inviting a man to dance? My daughter...my own daughter...,' Vanessa's eyes teared up with what Alice knew all too well was nothing other than frustration, arms raised to the heavens. 'All these years I've invested in blessing you with the proper upbringing and you take just one second to tear it apart. Has anyone seen you?' Vanessa's head snapped back to face her daughter, hoping for a figment of redemption. Alice was given no chance to defend herself as Ciel took the pleasure of answering in her stead.

'I should think so,' he informed his future mother-in-law, 'She dragged poor Mr. Sarrow all the way to the dance floor.'

'Oh for Heaven's sake! I feel faint...' Vanessa said, losing both her breath and the hold on her knees as she dramatically yet gracefully took a fall backwards, Sebastian and Alice lunging to catch the woman.

'Countess Arrington,' Sebastian feigned his worry while Alice chose to be true to her character.

'Mother, please snap out of it! Mother!' The girl insisted, looking around the room in embarrassment. If no one paid attention to them till that point, they were surely watching them now. Some with interest, others with trouble yet all curious.

'My salts...I need my salts,' the Countess pleaded in theatrical illness. In annoyance, Alice hurried to fish out a small bottle of the magical medicine from her mother's pouch. She pulled out the lid and ceremoniously waved it in front of her mother's nose, waiting for the miracle of healing to happen. Without doubt, they were indulging her far too much.

'Please, Countess Arrington, you are being too harsh on yourself,' Mister Sarrow helped the Countess up, gently patting her hand in the process. 'There was just one dance and I absolutely enjoyed my talk with Lady Alice, she is wonderful company and a very educated young woman.'

'No, Mister Sarrow,' Vanessa denied finally back on her two feet, her salts securely placed in her pouch once more. 'My daughter is a savage and rest assured, she will be thoroughly punished for it.'

'I wouldn't go that far, Countess...' Sarrow advised, sensing another storm rising and genuinely feeling sorry for the young lady in cause.

'It must be done, Mr. Sarrow,' Vanessa solemnly declared, finally turning her attention to Ciel. 'Earl Phantomhive, I hope you will pardon my daughter's indiscretion and you will ensure Mr. Sarrow spends an agreeable rest of the evening.'

'It will be my pleasure, Countess,' Ciel agreed, extremely pleased to conclude this charade in his favour. At his side, Sebastian could not help but smirk in complicity as Alice was suddenly dragged away by her mother.

'You're coming with me, girl!' Vanessa announced, forcefully pulling at the girl's arm, Alice having no choice but to follow.

'Mother, please, you don't understand,' Alice begged.

'Silence! Or I'm locking you inside the house till your wedding day!'

At the sound of that, Alice instinctively resumed her pleas, knowing all too well how perfectly capable of that action her mother was. In defeat, she looked back at her previous company, Ciel's triumphant expression coming into view.

 _You devil! I'll get you for this_ , Alice promised internally, realizing that perhaps, she should not be underestimating Ciel Phantomhive after all.

* * *

'I trust the ball is unfolding nicely,' Queen Victoria said instead of a greeting to her two butlers as they stepped into her private quarters. Charles Grey and Charles Phipps had taken a break from observing the events having switched with their mate, John Brown.

'Yes, Your Majesty. The food is plenty, the wine appreciated and the orchestra has been commissioned to play till late in the night,' Phipps responded, taking a short bow.

'There is nothing to worry, Your Highness. Everyone is enjoying themselves to their heart's content,' Grey added.

'I am glad to hear that,' the monarch delivered, hands busy knitting a long blanket. She used to like spending her evenings near the fireplace, surrounded by a few of her ladies-in-waiting and either crochet or knit for her and for her grandchildren. Those were the moments when she was at her most gratified, away from all the agitation others habitually hungered after. 'And my boy and girl?' She asked.

'They are fulfilling their duties,' Grey informed, knowing precisely who the Queen was referring to. 'Or at least trying to. They are like cat and mouse, it's downright comical looking at them.'

The Queen chuckled under her breath, slightly disappointed she could not be there to witness it. Those two were similar; both Ciel Phantomhive and Alice Arrington were proud and ambitious which meant their characters were to clash rather sooner than later and even though she sensed they would not get along at all at the beginning, their relationship had plenty of potential. Both for them and for her kingdom.

'And Benjamin Sarrow?'

'He is behaving. Nothing out of the ordinary,' Phipp's reply came.

'He has no room for mistakes, Alice is keeping him under close watch,' Grey added.

'I should expect so,' Victoria agreed, taking a break from her knitting. She placed her work away and gestured for one of her servants to serve her and her court ladies some sweets. Her plan had been put in motion and now all she had to do was to wait for the results. Either way, she would have her reward.

* * *

'And as I was saying, she only served custard tarts and a plateau of grapes for desert,' a long-nosed lady commented in the circle of women Alice was being held prisoner.

'How scandalous!' Another replied, gasping in tune with the rest.

Alice only rolled her eyes as subtly as possible hurrying to think of a way to escape her human confinement. Her mother, however, was keeping her under observation just four meters away in the company of other distinguished ladies. She paused from time to time to deliver a laugh or a short comment, head turning often in the direction of her daughter. For now, there was no opportunity for Alice to subtract herself. The girl tried to focus on the conversation but her thoughts flew to Sarrow. She saw him in another part of the room with Ciel and his butler ardently discussing who knew what while she had to remain there, surrounded by a group of old and single maids. At least the widows provided some entertainment.

'But enough about food, I have to monitor my portions. Let's talk about husbands instead,' one of the women suggested.

'Well, mine is dead.' Another declared.

'Good riddance, that old crook was horrible company. And the way he breathed, you needed to plug your ears with clay.'

'Now I've completely lost my appetite.'

'Do be grateful! You need to lose a few pounds.'

'What for? I already had three husbands. I'm not eager to settle with a fourth.'

All burst into laughter, some hiding their face behind their decorated fans. Alice mustered a smirk, actually appreciating the dark humour. That until their attention turned exclusively to her.

'Now, little miss,' Lady Fairr addressed Alice, 'Let's dissect that future husband of yours. Ciel Phantomhive was it?'

'Ah, yes,' Alice replied, unsure of what to expect. When ladies like those got together to gossip, all hell could break loose.

'Well? How many servants did he promise you?' Another lady whom Alice identified as Lady Tressing asked.

'Servants?' Alice asked briefly confused. Another female voice cut in on the conversation.

'Well yes! A husband has to provide attending servants to a lady as soon as she marries into his household.'

Alice raised her eyebrows momentarily considering it for the sake of it. Maybe he could promise her one? That red-headed maid perhaps. Apart from her, Alice did not see any other female servants. In fact, Alice did not see many servants in general. If she were to count, she could only amount to five of them including Sebastian which made it rather strange. A household that large needed at least double the number Ciel currently had and it was not as if he could not afford it.

'We did not discuss it yet,' Alice admitted at which the ladies hummed disapprovingly.

'Not yet?! Then what did you two talk about?' Lady Fairr questioned.

'Not much, my ladies. You see, there were not many chances for us to meet.'

'Well, I would say so!' Lady Fairr spoke out what others thought as well. 'If that mother of yours persists in keeping you with widows and old spinsters like us, you might as well say goodbye to that fiancé of yours! Communication is key my dear and you are not making any progress.'

Progress was not precisely what Alice wished for, at least not in the regard the ladies considered it but she had to play along by respectable lady standards.

'You are absolutely right Lady Fairr but you see, I am at a loss. I haven't the courage nor inspiration to approach him,' Alice said, after careful deliberation.

They all remained in silence, admiring the girl's sincerity. They exchanged glances and put down their fans.

'He is a child, after all,' One began.

'A child that was able to rebuild his home to his former glory. A child who has experienced the horror of losing one's kind and acquiring the strength to get back to his feet,' Lady Tressing reminded them all and Alice found herself agreeing with her. Ciel had displayed impressive mental vigour in his choices.

'Strength which is beyond even that of a human, if you ask me,' Lady Fairr pointed out.

'Oh Lady Fairr, please, you can't possibly lend an ear to those sinister rumours!'

'You're one to speak! I clearly recall you discussing this issue yesterday at breakfast.'

'Oh be quiet, you're troubling Alice,' the lady caught red-handed tried to divert the blame. 'Is she troubling you dear?' She turned towards Alice along with the rest of the female flock. Alice kept her composure, already accustomed by now with that type of gossip-like interrogation and lowered her eyes in pristine modesty.

'Not at all, ladies. I am deeply touched by the concern you show toward me,' she confessed, earning herself a concomitant smile from everyone. Still, Alice had heard those rumours too. They had been circulating ever since Ciel Phantomhive had reappeared to claim his title and everyone whispered there were evil forces at play that helped him restore everything to how it used to be, as if the attack on his family had not shook him up at all. Upon realizing that, she instinctively glanced at the young boy. When her sister died, Alice fell into depression and it had been the love and care of her parents that had brought her back to the surface yet for Ciel...who had been there to support him? From what she knew, no one. And yet, there he was, stronger and more capable than ever. Perhaps he was the real demon.

'With that being said, I suggest we focus on more important things. Your future is at stake here dear, so pay close attention to what I tell you. Beginnings in relationships are crucial,' The oldest of the bunch shared.

'I agree,' Another lady uttered.

'You must take matters into your own hands and show your husband you have an opinion,' the words continued to cascade.

'I disagree!' A momentary halt was put to the stream.

'And whatever do you mean by that, Lady Tressing? Should the girl be a dim-witted creature whose wants are placed under those of her husbands'?!'

'I wouldn't go that far, but she absolutely must display sweetness! We wouldn't want her husband thinking of her as crude and looking for comfort elsewhere!'

'As if a man would dare do something that senseless to our lady Alice!'

'There you go again, underestimating men! This is precisely why that husband of yours spends his time collecting locks!'

'And what's wrong with that? It's a noble passion, King Louis XVII of France had the same leisure pursuits,' the defence came.

'Yes!' the other lady replied in sarcasm, 'To avoid bedding his wife! Do you want Lady Alice to go down the same tragic path?!'

'Oh stop being dramatic, the queen had offspring, didn't she?'

'What's truly tragic is that...she's marrying a child,' an old spinster declared with exaggerated affliction, patting her handkerchief at the corner of her eyelids.

The chatter finally subsided as the statement sank in. 'I mean to say,' the same lady added, 'what does a child know of a woman's suffering? How ever could he be of comfort to our lady?'

Lady Fairr, who had presided over the gathering from the very start shifted in her chair and wiggled her nose displeased, as if a foul smell had made its way to her delicate nostrils. She looked at each woman there, head raised high and hands placed gracefully in her lap prepared to salvage the situation.

'Ladies. The Earl is thirteen years old. I ask of you, at what age do our male children learn to shoot a pistol?'

The women exchanged glances, coming up with the unanimous reply: 'At ten years old.'

'Correct,' she replied. 'Are we safe to assume then that Count Phantomhive is apt to defend Lady Alice if the unspeakable should happen?'

Everyone murmured in approval, nodding their heads.

'Very well. And at what age are our sons allowed to handle finances?'

'At twelve,' even more female voices acquired confidence to reply.

'Then perhaps the Count is able to fully provide for his wife?'

'Why yes, of course!' The replies were delivered.

'And when is it exactly that we women start educating our men?'

'Since the moment they are born,' one hurried to answer.

'Exactly!' Lady Fairr declared victoriously. 'And it continues until later in life. We always educate our men to be generous and powerful therefore, the Earl has infinite potential to become the most reliable pillar in Lady Alice's life, does he not? The boy is no longer a child, he is a man!'

The ladies gasped in realization, sounds of relief and exaltation defining their entire soiree.

'He is a man!' They repeated, voicing the statement as if it was divine justice, turning to one another with expressions of joy plastered to their faces. Alice put down her beverage glass, half-shocked at the outcome of what was supposed to be a boring conversation and looker over to Ciel, wishing he could hear some of the embarrassing things they were saying about him. Her amusement was cut short though as she assessed the situation: Sarrow was leaving and with him, her hopes of finding out his secret. On cue, Alice searched for her mother in the crowd and as luck would have it, she was nowhere to be seen and hopefully, that meant she could not see her daughter escaping either.

Alice excused herself from their presence without too much fuss seeing as the women were so deep into their conversation about her, they barely even noticed she got up to leave and without further delay she headed towards Sarrow. She saw him say his goodbyes to Ciel and leave through the main hallway and was about to catch up to him when a young girl's voice stopped her in her tracks:

'Lady Alice Arrington.'

She considered ignoring the voice for a second, she truly did but the voice had been loud and shaken and some of the guests had heard it too. Alice's heels discontinued her route on the marble floor, eventually betraying her by making her turn and face her interlocutor.

'Lady Elizabeth Midford,' Alice addressed, staring at the blonde young girl. She knew that girl very well. Due to work circumstances, Marquis Alexis Midford was an acquaintance of her father's and while she never did speak to her on many occasions apart from greetings, she was aware of the girl's existence. She was also Ciel's former fiancé and something told Alice that whatever that girl had in mind, it most certainly concerned the Phantomhive Earl and her recent addition to his family. That, and also the fact that Alice saw her stalking her the entire evening, accusations smouldering beneath her gazes.

'I would like to congratulate you on your engagement, Lady Arrington,' Lizzy began in a strangled voice.

'How very nice of you, Lady Midford,' Alice replied distractedly, trying to cut the congratulatory moment short.

'...but I cannot.' Lizzy finished her statement, eyes raised to lock with the ones of Alice. Lady Arrington finally complied and graced her with her attention, her declaration momentarily causing her to forget about her prey. 'It is quite regretful however, I cannot wish you happiness nor can I accept this union.'

Alice blinked at the girl in front of her, a bit taken aback by her courage. Not only was she defying her through innocent sincerity, she was also performing such act in front of an audience. People around them sensed the tension and lowered their voices as they opened their ears to listen in, whispers having already taken supremacy over the closed space. It was true what they said about Midford's daughter; she was a brave little girl who knew exactly what she wanted and Alice could see why she had been considered the ideal candidate as Ciel's wife. She was also very pretty with those green eyes of hers and luscious blonde curls, a true Victorian beauty, and there was an inner strength in Elizabeth which radiated through her entire frame. Alice wondered if she ever appeared like that to someone when she was younger too. Did Charles Grey ever look at her and feel intimated or was she only just a poor imitation? Alice exhaled slowly, shaking off the brief effect Lizzy had had on her, remembering that there was something else she should have been focusing on that evening.

'I see,' Alice replied shortly, hoping to bring the conversation to a close however, Lizzy seemed to have other plans.

'From all my heart, I hope you will not be too bruised by my words however, you must understand, this news has been quite a shock to me. I have been promised to Ciel Phantomhive since as long as I can remember and I was not expecting this turn of events,' Lizzy explained, holding a very impressive stance.

'Understandably so,' Alice agreed, wishing this could be over sooner than later.

'I have known Ciel far longer than you and I have genuine affection for him.'

'Of that, I have no doubt,' Alice replied to the girl, careful to be in accordance with everything she said, somewhat certain this could urge her to finish quicker. In opposition, though, Elizabeth saw this as a sign of indifference; the manner of treatment an adult would apply to a child when they were not to be taken seriously and that brought tears of exasperation to her eyes and she could no longer hold on to her exquisitely polite speech.

'I cannot possibly see you as a suitable wife for Earl Phantomhive, Lady Arrington. You are just too...too...old!' Lizzy finished, in lack of a better word. Despite realizing her mistake, the words had been uttered and most people around them had hear them all. Lizzy panicked all of a sudden, realizing that she had insulted the daughter of a Count and the Queen's current favourite and her father's social standing could register substantial damage because of her big mouth. Fearfully, she looked around her at the shocked aristocratic faces and then back at Alice, dreading what could have come her way. Instead, Alice burst into a fit of laughter.

'You are absolutely right! I keep repeating the same truth to myself over and over. I wake up everyday to the thought of my marriage and my younger husband-to-be and I realize...' Alice paused in her laughter, her face saddening, her lips quivering, 'that there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.' Her tone became a whisper and her hands were brought to her face in order to shield herself at the precise moment when her eyes began tearing up. 'Her Majesty's will is absolute and I must marry the person who has been decided for me. I have not been asked about my preferences, I have only been informed and yet I, as an exemplary Lady, I have chosen to abide by my duty. Is that my sin, Lady Midford? Is that why I am so hated by you? Will you ever forgive me, I wonder?'

Elizabeth paled and out of preservation took a step back as the people around them ceased to be simple spectators and opted to kneel down besides Alice, offering words of comfort. Even the female group Alice had joined earlier had made its way over to the girl, pushing past Lizzy to reach their lady.

'Lady Alice, please don't cry!'

'Yes, Lady Arrington, pull yourself together! No one cares if your husband is younger than you.'

'We were only teasing you! Oh, the things I wouldn't give just to be in your shoes,' one of the ladies reassured.

'Pardon me, Madam?!' Her approaching husband exclaimed, a look of pure astonishment visible in his eyes.

'Oh hush, darling! Can't you see you're upsetting Lady Arrington?' His wife silenced him off immediately.

'Everyone...please,' Alice finally revealed her grieved face once more, 'perhaps it's best I am alone for now,' she suggested as she was helped up by the gentlemen next to her.

'Are you sure, my dear?' Lady Fairr inquired, sincerely worried about the girl.

'Yes, please don't let me ruin your evening. You have all been most kind to me,' Count Arrington's daughter said, her feet bringing her closer to the hallways; slowly but surely. As she advanced towards her way out, she could not help but look back at the helpless Elizabeth Midford, revelling in how speechless she had been rendered.

 _You have yet to grow my dear_ , Alice told her internally, _and eventually you too will realize that a woman's best offense is her defence_. _As Mother would say, 'When a lady is attacked, she should not reply in the same manner but better yet, she should turn the tables around on her opponent'_.

Grateful to her mother's rare but useful teachings, Alice was now free to run after Benjamin Sarrow and hopefully bring that mission to a close.

Lizzy on the other hand felt imprisoned. By her words, by her actions, by the consequences. She should have known a direct confrontation with Alice Arrington would not end well; in fact, she was smarter than that. She understood that such discussions were to be unveiled in private not during a royal ball where so many witnesses would be present and would unmistakably protect the one with a higher rank. The blonde girl glanced to her right to her own mother who looked furious, every fibre of her being disagreeing with what she had done. And even so, she could not help herself from addressing Alice. She used to admire her, she used to aspire to be someone as graceful and accomplished as her and yet after the news of Ciel's engagement to her reached her ears, Lizzy could not help but regard Alice as nothing other than a thief. Her mind told her Alice was not to blame but her heart pounded with thoughts of vile jealousy, repeating that the older woman had taken everything she ever knew and loved.

At the beginning of the soiree Lizzy promised herself to exercise supreme control although, when she saw those two together, Ciel walking over to Alice willingly and the woman leaning in to whisper who knows what nonsense in his ear, she childishly saw red before her eyes. Questions started to pop out, her breath becoming irregular. Was this going for longer than she had suspected? Was he actually in love with Alice Arrington? Was she the reason he broke off their engagement? And so, when Alice passed by her, Lizzy's lips had started moving without proper consent and her punishment came immediately. Lizzy had lost that battle.

'Lizzy,' a familiar voice rang next to her.

The little girl summoned what was left of her courage and twirled around to greet, head lowered in embarrassment.

'Ciel,' she answered miserably. 'Did you receive my letters?' Lizzy hurried to ask, afraid to hear reprimands from his part.

'Yes,' he said simply.

'Why didn't you write back to me?' She inquired, now looking at him. As always, he was radiant with a type of cold darkness, his butler inevitably next to him like a shadow. She was supposed to grow closer to him but each day brought them even farther away. As much as it pained her, this was not the boy she used to adore but neither was he completely gone to give up on that easily.

'There was nothing to write, that is all,' he spoke. 'The Queen had ordered this marriage and I am accepting it as part of my duty towards the Crown.'

'But you had broken off the engagement before that, Ciel. You told my father it's best we do so in order to keep me safe.'

'That is right,' he nodded, remembering the taxing conversation he had with Midford. 'Giving who I am, my life will be filled with perils and dangers you cannot even begin to imagine and I could never forgive myself for willing putting you in so much danger.'

Lizzy frowned, clearly not satisfied with that explanation. 'That should not matter, I was always aware of your position,' she stubbornly counteracted, biting on her lower lip, curling her toes inside her flat shoes. That was mainly the reason why she chose to become good at sword fighting, why she never wore high-heels, why she acted sweet and innocent. Everything had been for him, to protect him and he never knew. And now he was so ready and eager to marry another.

'Maybe there is something else?' Lizzy pressed on, as if expecting another type of answer from him. 'Perhaps she has captured your heart?'

It took Ciel a few good moments to snap out of his astonishment. He was always amazed at how women could take something perfectly rational and turn it into an emotional mess. He wondered what part of his sane explanation could have directed Lizzy towards the ridiculous conclusion that he could actually have some sort of romantic affinity towards Alice. He barely knew the woman and he could safely admit that he did not like her nor would he ever learn to love her. The earl was seconds away from bursting into laughter however, the butler at his side had cleared his throat demanding he displayed caution. Understanding Sebastian's message, Ciel took off his glove and touching Lizzy's gentle cheek, he gave into what he should have done in the first place.

'Lizzy, you shall not speak of such absurdities. My relationship with Lady Arrington is purely business and duty, you should know by now how arranged marriages function. Rest assured, apart from yourself, there will never be another I hold dearest,' Ciel declared, himself believing the weight of those words. Fortunately, he was not the only one since Lizzy's expression mellowed, eyes lit at his rare moment of speaking so openly and truthfully to her. She had never heard him tell her of his emotions and while that was a step forward for them, it was taken at the wrong time.

'I will treasure what you said tonight for as long as I live, Ciel,' Lizzy said, a smile creeping at the corners of her mouth. 'But I can't forgive the circumstances that easily. I believed we would be together forever.'

'So have I,' Ciel responded, having once believed in the truth of that statement. Currently, matters were different and forever was a foreign concept to him, especially with his soul already lost to the demon at his side. 'But we grow up and society teaches us there are responsibilities we must adopt. You too have a responsibility, Lizzy. You're part of aristocracy and your behaviour tonight was unworthy of your breeding. I hope you will take a few moments to reflect on it,' he added to Lizzy's fear. She had not escaped his scolding after all. And she deserved it, her decisions that evening were poorly executed.

'Try to forgive me, Lizzy,' Ciel advised as he retracted his hand and slid on his black glove once more. 'You and I have a special relationship. We're cousins and we will always remain close. Nothing changed,' he finished, taking a short bow in front of Lizzy. 'I'll excuse myself for tonight and I'll wait for you to come talk to me when you're prepared.'

Following his example, Sebastian too bowed in front of Elizabeth and trailed after his master as he headed towards the main hallway. Neither of them looked back and perhaps it was for the best, for they could not see Lizzy's blurry eyes nor the tears that had uncontrollably started rolling off the girl's cheeks. Having witnessed the entire scene, Elizabeth's mother walked over to her daughter and forgetting her previous fury, drew her into a tight embrace among the clueless guests. Within the warmth of her mother's torso, Lizzy unleashed her cries, her trembling voice muffling her sorrow:

'Stupid Ciel. Everything changed.'

* * *

If he were to be frank, Ciel was content that evening was finally going to be over. Seeing Lizzy once more had reminded him that his decision to call off the engagement had been right. Lizzy was important to him and in order to achieve his goal and avoid having people close to him getting hurt, he had to cut off those ties himself. He half-expected Sebastian to comment the situation but apparently, he was wisely waiting for his turn at home. But Ciel wouldn't know for sure, there were moments when he could not read him very well and that made him feel helpless and yet when he was with him, he had the courage to move mountains. Unfortunately, his plan did not go that well that night and he still did not find out much about Sarrow's intentions. He did uncover a lead though but that business would remain for the following morning.

Forgetting that thought, Ciel spotted Alice looming over the palace exit, not aware that she too was after Sarrow. Alice caught sight of them as well, eyebrows raised in curiosity.

'Earl Phantomhive. Have you come to comfort me, perhaps?' She asked, still bitter for having just missed Sarrow. The guards had informed her that the man got into a carriage and rode away, destination unknown. If only she hadn't wasted time with Elizabeth Midford, she could have caught him at the gates.

'My sympathy won't be lost on your fake tears, My Lady,' Ciel snorted. 'I've seen enough of you to understand you're not that sensible.'

'Well done,' Alice said as she clapped in mockery and walked over to them.

'Not to mention that what you did tonight was in poor taste.'

Alice's smile turned upside-down, not appreciating his tone, nor the implication.

'I trusted you'd be more understanding giving the fact that you persist in keeping me as your future wife. Lady Elizabeth attacked me and I retaliated in the most socially acceptable manner. Mind you, I have no regrets.'

Ciel listened, walking over to her too and as soon as she finished her words, his gloved hand reached out to grasp her arm. A bit brutally, he pulled her until her face was at his level and his eyes were fixing hers with utmost severity.

'I believe you should. You see, Lady Elizabeth may not be my fiancé anymore however, she continues to remain my cousin and I would like you to keep in mind that members of my family should be treated with respect. Do something like this again and I promise you Alice, you will see me very angry.'

Her mouth opened in stupefaction, barely understanding what had happened. She had never been reprimanded by anyone, especially not by a young boy and to be threatened to that extent had been almost traumatic. For a moment there, she had forgotten she had a will and she did not even know how to respond. Eventually, Alice released her arm from his grip and pulled herself back to her full height, her quickening breathing betraying her surging emotions.

'Well, it seems you have feelings for her after all!' She threw in his face, unable to find better means to protect herself.

'Of course I do,' Ciel agreed, placing his hat on top of his head and securing his night cape. 'Lady Elizabeth and I are related by blood which means that all I do for her comes from the goodness of my own heart whereas what I _have_ to do for you, will come from the goodness of the Queen's heart. Make sure you remember it well.'

Having lost interest in her, Ciel tipped his hat and headed to the exit.

'Have a lovely evening, Lady Arrington,' Sebastian wished Alice and left along with his master, his head shaking in disapproval. While lecturing others for their behaviour, Ciel's own behaviour had been taboo, especially in front of a lady of noble descent. Sebastian's approach would have been different but his master had displayed enough kindness for the night in the presence of Lady Elizabeth and apparently, Lady Alice was not worthy of such a feat. While understanding his master's vanity, the butler considered it wise to stir his master in a better direction; all in all, the Arrington name was a powerful one and demon as he was, Sebastian himself could not help Ciel if he were to lose his social standing or even the favour of the girl's father. But he had to admit, it was rather amusing watching those two. Instinctively, Sebastian looked back just in time to see Lady Alice stomping her feet on the ground repeatedly in what could only be exasperation at what his master had said.

'Fufu,' Sebastian tried to stifle a laugh.

'What is it?' Ciel questioned, unaware of his butler's newly found entertainment.

'Nothing, Young Master,' Sebastian responded, a bit disappointed by how his master's human hearing could not discern the profanities Alice voiced out after their leave.

* * *

 **A/N:** Another chapter done! It came a bit late because I was on vacation for a few days and I wanted to disconnect from everything. Needless to say, this chapter was lots of fun to write and imagine, so I hope it lightens up your day/evening a bit. Thank you to everyone who commented and added this to their favourites, much appreciated!

 **FleurSuoh:** Hello and so happy to talk to you again. Your comment really made my day, it described the evolution of their relationship accurately! It makes me happy to know that someone else can look at Ciel and envision the same type of relationship for him :D. Relationships of any kind don't come that easily to Ciel anymore so it was important for me to create an 'antagonist' who would turn his world upside-down. Since he is the possessive type, he will very slowly start admitting to his growing affection towards Alice but when he does, it might be too much even for Alice. He is a child and children don't understand the concept of individual freedom that well so I'm looking forward to writing about those moments too. Hopefully, this chapter catered to your expectations, please let me know ;)

 **lizyeh2000:** Thank you, my dear! This chapter is even longer so please do enjoy. I needed it to be a bit longer because I did not want to divide the narrative at the wrong part. Hope you like it!

 **Black Dragon Mistress:** Thank you so much, I actually chuckled while reading your comment, I am really flattered XD! I know what you mean about CielxOC fanfictions, I wanted to read a fun and adventurous story too but since I could not find it, I decided to do it myself. I'm not that sure if it's turning as well as it should since I don't have much feedback from people but that just makes you guys even more special because you take the time to appreciate something different and deliver me a sincere review. Thank you again and I hope to hear from you again, every thought counts! Love.

 **Diamond-Grl45:** Hey again and so much love! Don't worry, this won't be the only ball/party they will be attending but it is an important one because we could see the two of them in society and like you said, chaos is more likely to ensue when there are more people gathered, hehe. I was worried about introducing the Charles but they play such a big role both in the manga and the anime that I could not resist. Also, this was a royal ball so they simply had to be present and as for Grey, he does seem to me like the type who would have an 'unrequited love'. He is also very strong and stubborn and it makes it more appealing to me to portray him in this manner so it's gratifying for me to know you enjoyed their addition to the story. And you're absolutely right, Alice does look like the lady in the OVA, I finally saw pictures of her. The only difference is that she wears her hair in more voluminous hairstyles and she is not as shy as the OVA lady. Until next time, take care!

 **Arces:** Call for Alice's mother, of course! That's a gentleman's main weapon in Victorian society XD. And no daughter can argue with that. Thank you for commenting!^^

 **BornABurra:** Thank you for the review, you have no idea how happy they make me! I figured Alice knows everyone. In fact, she HAS to know everyone giving her position in society and her father's influence and since her family is so closely tied to the Queen, knowing the Charles came with the job, as they say. I needed a bit of drama around that trio though because Grey does not seem the type who gets along with anyone, especially with women. When I look at his character, I kind of think the only woman in his life is the Queen and that's what makes him special. It makes sense to me he would fall in love with Jane (who is now dead) and as the story progresses, I will explain the reasons why she was so loved as a person. I'm happy to see you picked up on the small details and that you noticed how deductive Alice is, it takes a fine eye, well done! In the spirit of more entertaining chapters, I wish this chapter was enjoyable and hope to see your comments again. Take care ;)


	6. Author's note

**Author's note:** Hello everyone! Just here to make a quick announcement if there are any of you left around, that is. Since this story presents no real interest in the Kuroshitsuji community and I had only one review for my latest chapter, I have decided that **Tea o'clock** will be on hiatus as of today. Unfortunately, I find no point in posting something that triggers no response from readers especially since a writer has to be read. I'll try to get better in the meantime, practice on my own and hopefully be able to return to this community with better ideas. :D

Thank you for the support I've had up till now, it will be forever appreciated!

 **FleurSuoh:** Thank you for the wonderful review and for pointing out so many important scenes in this chapter, I immensely enjoyed reading your words. Even though Ciel pretends to be an adult, he likes to play as a child as well, which is why he just HAD to bring Alice's mother into the picture :)). Vanessa is such a fun character to write and her interactions with everyone always prove out to be fruitful one way or another. And yes, Ciel is already showing his possessive tendencies and that's what I like the most about him. He's reckless with his desires and has that judgement that the world is all his just because he has a demon at his side. That's going to be what Alice falls for and when she does, she's gonna feel like such a sinner :)) Anyways, thank you for your constant support! I hope to speak to you again and if you want to keep in touch, you know how to private message me ;) Over and out!


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